Harry Potter and the Horcrux Hunt
by F.D.Wurth
Summary: Fleur and Tonks' plans for the future get derailed. Now they are pulled into Harry's hunt for horcruxes. How will things go with an Auror and a trained Curse Breaker along? Rated M for language, mild violence, and sexual situations.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is my first story so let me know what you think. If you are looking for heavy Weasley or Dumbledore bashing go somewhere else. There will be some mild questioning of characters. Mostly critical of the wizarding world in general.

Chapter 1

Harry Potter awoke to a splitting headache. Not entirely unheard of for The-Boy-Who-Lived, since he had a direct connection to one evil Dark Wanker embedded in his brain. But this was different. It was of such epic proportions that he could be forgiven for not immediately noticing that he was not in his own bed. The throbbing behind his eyes could also excuse his not noticing that not only was he in a strange bed, but he was also stark naked. It was when he had to move an arm and a leg to get out of said bed that he really should have started to take notice that something was amiss. Yet he stumbled obliviously toward the bathroom door he saw standing open in the corner of the room, stepping over two different sets of high heeled boots along with several articles of clothing. Finally, even the most epic of hangovers should have allowed him to realize something definitely different as, when he crawled back into bed between the two lumps under the sheets, the arm and leg returned possessively to take their previous positions across his body. Yet Harry just drifted back to sleep as though nothing were different from any other Saturday morning.

It was an entirely more alert Harry who awoke some time later, nearly lunch time by the amount of light comming through the window. First he noticed that he definately was not alone in his bed. He thought maybe Ron had rolled out of his bed and landed on him as happened many nights at the Burrow. Then it dawned on him that there were two someones in bed with him, and by the feel of it he and his bedmates were all three completely naked. Then he became painfully aware by the curves and long hair he felt against his body that his companions were female.

Taking a calming breath, Harry slowly opened his eyes and looked to his left side, from which an arm was slung across his chest. He immediately noticed a fan of silvery blonde hair. Even though the person had their head turned away, Harry immediately recognized who it was.

"Fleur?!" Harry chocked out in a slightly strangled voice.

"Cinq minutes papa." Fleur mumbled sleepily.

Harry next turned to his right, the side from which a leg was thrown across his lower body. His eyes nearly bulged from his head as he saw a short mop of spiky pink hair sticking out from under the blanket.

"Tonks?!" Harry squawked

Slowly Tonks turned her head toward the sound of her name, eyes still closed. "Harry?" she murmured sleepily, slowly opening her eyes. Their eyes met and she briefly stared at him in confusion. Harry watched as Tonks' eyes widened in comprehension. Their discussion must have disturbed Fleur, because Harry then felt movement to his left.

"Nym?" Fleur's head lifted to gaze with half lidded eyes across Harry's chest. She glanced down, then up at Harry's face as she rapidly came fully awake. "'Arry?"

"Fleur?" Tonks' incredulous eyes widened even more.

Harry's eyes rolled back and darkness took him.

"I'm a dead man." Harry held his head in his hands as he sat at the en suite kitchen counter. "They'll kill me." He lifted his eyes to look at the two women sitting opposite him. "If I don't have a heart attack first."

"Calm down 'Arry." Fleur reached across to smooth his messy hair. "No one 'ere eez going to 'urt you."

Harry smiled at her reassuringly. "I know you won't Fleur. I mean Hermione, Ron, well all of the Weasleys really." He sighed mightily. "I just wish I knew what happened."

Tonks snorted. "Think its pretty obvious what happened." She reached her right hand over to Fleur to lift her left hand while indicationg her own left hand. On the ring finger of each woman's lefthand was a ring. Tonks' ring bore the raven insignia of House Black while Fleur's ring bore the Potter Stag. Harry looked down at his own left hand where a ring bearing both crests adorned his own ring finger.

"I mean how did it happen Tonks? I remember yesterday but I don't remember getting married."

Tonks smirked while Fleur giggled lightly at Harry's blush. "Harry, you are the head of two ancient and noble houses. As head of House Potter and House Black, you are authorized to perform marriages. Even your own." Harry directed a bewildered look at her again. "And to perform your own marrieage all you need are three things. First is a declairation of intent to marry."

-Flash Back-

An explosion rang out, startling all the workers in the field. Harry spun from where he was helping set up the wedding pavilion to stare at The Burrow. He saw smoke begin to billow out of an upstairs window. Exchanging a quick glance with Mr. Weasley, they both broke into a run toward the kitchen door. As they got closer they began to hear more explosions. They were met at the door by a very distraught looking Molly Weasley.

"Molly, what's going on?" Arthur Weasley asked. "Is it a Death Eater attack?"

"It's Fleur and Tonks. Bill and Remus ran off, only leaving a note. Tonks started smashing things and Fleur is throwing around fireballs."

Arthur Weasley look gobsmacked. "Bill did WHAT?! And Remus?"

Harry didn't waste any more time and dodged past the Weasleys into the house. Following the breaking and crashing sounds was relatively easy and he found Tonks and Fleur in short order. Tonks was in a state, her hair shifting colors faster than Harry could follow. Fleur was the same, partially transformed into a bird-man form (it's a Veela thing) with a fireball in each hand. Hearing the door open, both women turned and flung fire and spells at Harry. Only his quick thinking avoided being hit as he dove for cover.

"Whoa! Truce!" Harry grabbed a white handkerchief from the dresser by the door and waved it at the girls. They both stopped to stare at him, then Fleur turned away and threw another fireball at what appeared to be the remains of her wedding dress. Tonks just advanced on Harry with a stony expression and handed him a slightly singed piece of parchment. Harry glanced down at the letter, cringing slightly at the finger shaped burn marks on the surface. He began to read.

Dear Fleur and Dora,

We are so very sorry that this has come to this, but we have realized that we can not live a lie any longer. We have each tried to live like others, and if times were peaceful we may have been able to make things work. But the stress of his return and the uncertainty of daily life have shown us what we have been denying for too long.

We have been involved with each other for many years starting just shortly after Bill graduated from Hogwarts. We met on one of Bill's first assignments with Gringott's in Egypt and have met off and on ever since. We have each tried to have other relationships, trying to convince ourselves that it was just convenience and not how we really were. But truth won out.

We are leaving to find somewhere more accepting of our relationship. We will contact our families once we are settled, hopefully somewhere safe. Maybe we could even bring everyone with us for safety.

You are both exceptional women and will no doubt have little trouble finding someone who would be better suited for you.

Be Safe,

Bill and Remus

Harry stared at the note, dumbstruck. He re-read it and finally began to comprehend. Internally he wished his friends happiness and safety, but he had to address the two seething witches in the room with him first. Looking up, Fleur seemed to finally be winding down a little. Although the fact that the dress was now a merrily burning torch could have had something to do with it. And Tonks appeared to have at least settled on a color for her hair, blood red.

"How about we go outside somewhere," Harry tentatively broke the silence. "Someplace a little less flammable?"

Fleur just directed a glare at Harry then, exchanging a look with Tonks, the two women stalked out of the room. With a sigh, Harry drew his wand, extinguished the dress, and followed them down the stairs. He was met at the bottom by Arthur Weasley holding a bottle of something. Silently he handed the letter over to Arthur and watched the incredulous expression spread across his face. Arthur looked up at him for a moment, the handed the bottle he was holding to Harry.

"Firewhiskey. A drunk Witch can't concentrate enough to cast a spell. Same for Wizards for that matter. I don't know if Fleur will be able to conjure fireballs drunk, but it should at least mess with her aim."

After a murmered thank you, Harry hastened out the door and across the fields toward the nearby marshes in pursuit of the two women.

Twenty minutes later saw Harry transfiguring mud balls into clay targets and floating them into the air as Fleur and Tonks took turns using them for target practice. Apparently firewhiskey did not inhibit Veela forming fireballs. Nor did it even seem to be messing with Tonks' abilities. Either that, or it just took alot more than they had consumed.

"Batard!" Fleur growled as she blasted another clay target. "Comment pourrait-il faire!"

"Fleur, english please." Harry plead with a wince. He looked toward Tonks as she stood up, ready to blast another target. At least she was beginning to calm down, but now that her anger was fading Harry began to notice that she was swinging toward depression.

"'ow could 'e do this?!" Fleur repeated in English.

"At least you're still young and beautiful." Tonks replied letting a cutting curse loose as Harry launched the target into the air. "I'm too old to find someone else."

"Don't be rediculous Tonks." Harry admonished, transfiguring another target. "You are only three years older than Fleur. And just as beautiful as ever." He launched the next target into the air where it was promptly vaporized by a streaking ball of fire.

"Oh come off it Harry." Tonks scoffed. "You know you wouldn't be interested in someone as old as I am, and most of the wizards my age are already betrothed. The only other available wizards are all old enough to be my father."

"Oui, eet is not easy finding zomeone 'o is interested in me for myself instead of me the part-veela," Fleur growled. "Most just look at me like a prize to be possessed."

"You don't give yourselves enough credit." Harry shook his head. "You are both kind, scarry smart and beautiful. If either of you were the least bit interested in me, I would be on my knees in a heart beat."

Tonks and Fleur looked at each other, stunned, before Fleur responded. "But surely 'Arry, you could probably 'ave your choice in girls."

"Ha!" Harry barked a short laugh. "I've been friend zoned by the girl who probably knows me best of anyone. My first 'date' was a disaster because the girl was still wrapped up with her deceased boyfriend. And this whole insane psychopath bent on killing me pretty much has every other girl avoiding me." Harry lowered his eyes, concentrating on forming another target. He threw it into the air and blasted it with his own blasting curse. "Any man would be lucky to have you two."

-End Flashback-

Harry's eyes widened and his headache started to come back. Tonks just sat at the counter, regarding Harry with an amused smirk.

"Well you did say that you would propose if we were interested in you."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I would like to thank everyone for the comments. They have been wonderful! Hopefully this chapter will expand on Harry's personality and relationship with the girls. Also please excuse my French, it is Google. Lastly, I intend this to be a once a week update.

Chapter 2

"Alright, I understand that." Harry conceded. "And I meant it, you are both amazing and any man would be lucky to marry either of you." Harry shook his head with a small smile. "And now I'm married to both of you. But you've only listed one of the requirements. What are the other 2?"

This time Fleur spoke up. "Ze second requirement is zat the love expressed in ze marriage declaration must be returned."

-Flashback-

Following Harry's confession Tonks tried to take another drink from the bottle. She stopped, peering down the neck of the bottle questioningly, the held it upside down and gave it a shake.

"Looks like we are fresh out of booze." she complained. Harry breathed a small sigh of relief.

"We could just go to a club." Fleur offered.

"What, the wizarding world has night clubs?" Harry asked, surprised. Tonks shook her head.

"They do on the continent, but not in Britain." Tonks looked sideways at Fleur. "But there are plenty of muggle clubs."

Harry looked from Tonks to Flue. "Are you nuts? Do you think its really a good idea to turn you two loose on muggle London?"

"Well I guess we will just 'ave to take someone mature along with us as chaperone." Fleur responded with a wicked smile at Harry.

"Me?" Harry asked incredulously, they both just nodded. "How do you expect to get me into a club? I'm not old enough to get into the Three Broomsticks except on school visit days."

Tonks waved her hand dismissively. "A glamour and a confundus charm will take care of that."

Harry looked down at his feet. "I don't have any clothes that I could wear to a club." he said quietly. Fleur and Tonks looked at each other with a smirk. Then they uttered the two words every man dreads hearing from a pair of women.

"Shopping trip!"

Harry never thought that two women who had been so depressed could change their mood so quickly. At least for the two excitedly pawing through display racks, retail therapy seemed to get the job done. He watched with a slight smile as they eagerly chatted over the clothes they were choosing for him. If he hadn't witnessed it himself, he would almost swear that the events of that morning had been a bad dream. He knew they were simply delaying the inevitable of dealing with their losses, but if he could put a smile on their faces even for a moment he would subject himself to countless shopping trips. They were his friends, and they deserved it.

Fleur glanced in Harry's direction and noticed him watching them before leaning in to whisper to Tonks. Tonks turned and gave Harry a calculating look which caused him to blush, which caused Fleur and Tonks began to giggle. That began what seemed to be a competition between the two to see who could get Harry to blush the most. Innuendo and fleeting touches became the theme for the day as Harry was used as a dress up doll.

After Harry's clothing was chosen, the ladies decided to reward Harry's patience with their own fashion show. Outfit after outfit was modeled as Harry's compliments earned him not only consecutively more provocative outfits but also hugs and chaste kisses. Of course those outfits and kisses not only had Harry blushing and stammering compliments, but soon Fleur and Tonks had flaming cheeks as well.

Two hours later Harry exited Harrod's with a lady virtually clinging to each arm and carrying several bags containing three outfits for him and one for each of the girls. An alley down the street and three switching spells later saw Harry in an emerald green shirt to match his eyes with black Armani slacks and vest. Fleur was wearing a figure hugging matching green Pucci halter dress with long sleeved lace overlay. Tonks opted for a short black Balmain lace panelled long sleeve dress with pattern matched black lace stockings. Both ladies were in heels, Fleurs strappy black heels vs Tonks' stiletto heeled thigh high boots.

"I know of a club not far from here." Tonks suggested, shrinking their packages and slipping them into her purse. "Its always a good time, and I'm on good terms with the doorman."

"Lead ze way," Fleur prompted eager to experience a muggle club. Being descended from Veela and the daughter of a French Ministry department head she didn't get to experience muggle society much. Sure she shopped in the muggle world often, but she didn't get to socialize in it much.

At the club the doorman barely gave them a second glance as Tonks, on Harry's right arm, led Harry and Fleur, who was on his left arm, to the front of the que and through the door. Inside the club they found a vacant section of counter overlooking the dance floor. Harry received numerous glares and murderous looks but he was oblivious to them. Honestly would you notice anyone else with two gorgeous women making sure everyone in the room knew they were with you?

After getting their drinks, Tonks and Fleur drug Harry onto the dance floor. Again making sure everyone in the club knew who they were with as they danced close. The amount of body contact soon had Harry's head swimming as his blood flow was redirected. As the next song started, Fleur and Tonks glued themselves to each side of Harry's body, grinding against him in ways which made him very much aware of where his bloodflow went. From the smile which spread on her face, Fleur was very aware too.

"Mon Dieu 'Arry," she leaned forward and breathed in his ear to be heard. "You really meant what you said earlier?"

"Every word Fleur." He could smell the light clean fragrance of her hair. It reminded him of trees and a clear breeze on a spring day.

Fleur pulled him into a tight embrace before she drew back and turned her head, tilting her chin up slightly to bring her lips to his. Harry's mind went blank as Fleur's hands rose to the back of his head, deepening their kiss. Their lips parted and their tongues began to dance as feverishly as thier bodies had. Harry found his own hands traveling down Fleur's back until they came to rest on her shapely posterior, firmly grasping her arse and lifting her slightly.

"My turn hot stuff." Tonks growled as she disengaged Fleur to glue her own lips to Harry's. The kiss was short but intense as Tonks' hand lowered to grasp one side of Harry's rear. Pulling back slightly, Tonks breathed "Let's get out of here."

Nodding mutely, Harry led Tonks and Fleur from the club.

-End Flashback-

"I think it was pretty obvious we returned ze feelinz 'Arry." Fleur grinned cheekily at him.

Harry just stared at the two women who sat smirking at him. With visible effort, Harry swallowed to wet his throat and asked, already knowing the answer. "What then was the third thing needed to complete the marriages?"

The resulting grins from the women were almost predatory. "I should zink zat was obvious 'Arry." Fleur hinted.

"That was taken care of last night," Tonks replied. "Multiple times."

"Each." Fleur eagerly agreed.

Harry's face burned bright red. Obviously the two were enjoying teasing him about the situation, but he doubted that they really understood the issues of associating with hm. He was certain that Dumbledore had not told anyone else about the horcruxes, after all he had warned Harry not to. He was also sure nobody, not even Order members knew just why Voldemort was so singlemindedly obsessed with him. Harry doubted that anyone in the order really knew that in the end he himself would have to face Voldemort. That was why he planned on slipping out with only Ron and Hermione to try and destroy Voldemort's horcruxes. Taking a breath to calm himself, Harry fixed each of his new wives with a firm gaze.

"Are you two really sure about this? Yes I was completely honest and sincere when I said I would gladly marry you, but I feel like I took advantage of you when you were having a tough time."

"'Arry, you 'ave been a good friend since we first met." Fleur reached across the counter and put her hand over his. "You 'elped me in ze Tri-Wizard. You welcomed me wiz open arms when I moved to England. You encouraged me when otherz ridiculed me simply for being French. When Bill left, you 'ave 'elped me again see that I am worz more zan I zougt."

"Same applies for me Harry," Tonks laid her hand on top of Fleur's. "You helped me deal with Sirius' death when Remus was being so flakey..." Tonks trailed off and turned to Fleur. "You know pretty much every time our relationships were rocky, you were there for us." Fleur nodded her agreement.

Harry looked at the two women whose smiles had begun to drop slightly, only to be replaced with determined looks. "What about the insane wizard with daddy issues that is after me? I likely won't live out the year. Being married to me will just put big targets on you"

Fleur and Tonks exchanged a look. "Harry, I appreciate your worry but remember I'm the half-blood daughter of a blood traitor who has been expelled from her family. I'm already a target, my whole family is."

"Oui, and being quarter Veela the pureblood biggots look at me only as a creature. At best to be used as a toy for zeir pleasure."

"What we are trying to say Harry," Tonks squeezed their hands. "Is that we are targets by our very nature. Being with you gives us something good to hold onto."

"And wiz our 'elp, you 'ave a better chance of beating 'im."

Harry knew he had to tell them. They were in this just as deep as he was now, and they deserved to know the full extent. "Ok, but there is something I need to tell you first. I know how Voldemort survived sixteen years ago, and it's not pleasent."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: First off, something which I have been neglectful of - the disclaimer. I do not, nor have I ever had ownership of any part of Harry Potter or it's characters or plots.

Next, about the length of my chapters. I will try to work on making them longer, and fully expect that to happen as I get into more in depth portions of the plot. Please be patient.

Chapter 3

Harry explanained how Voldemort had created horcruxes to prevent his death, he also explained Dumbledore's conclusion that Voldemort had created six all together. He then went into explaining the prophecy and how it implied that he was the only one who could kill Voldemort. Harry was met with two pairs of staring eyes as silence stretched on for a few moments. He was about to say something, anything to break the silence when, almost in unison, Tonks and Fleur just nodded.

"We need to go to Gringotts'." Fleur was the first to speak. "My Curse Breaker field manual eez at my desk. I left it 'zere while I was supposed to be on vacation. If zere eez anyzing on 'orcruxez in Gringotts' I can find ze information zere."

"Right," Tonks nodded. "And we'll need a list of what items Dumbledore thought could be horcruxes so we can work on finding them."

Harry looked at them suspiciously, "There don't seem to be any surprises here. Did Dumbledore tell the order what was going on?"

Tonks snorted, "Anyone with half a brain could see that for some reason Voldemort was after you specifically, I mean even Ron saw that. Besides, even if the prophecy doesn't mean exacly what Dumbledore thought it did, Voldemort believes it does and that is all that matters."

"Oui, and now zat we know how 'ee eez staying alive we can fight that too."

Harry couldn't believe his ears. Here he had just told them all of the details he knew, which really weren't many, and instead of running they dig in to help. Just like Ron and Hermione. Harry started to choke up a bit before clearing his throat and continuing. "Ok but back to the marriages, you two seem awefully accepting of this considering yesterday morning Tonks had a boyfriend and Fleur was getting ready for her wedding." Harry looked at them suspiciously, Tonks shrugged.

"Harry, the marriage is sealed by magic. We had to accept our feelings before the marriage could occur."

"Oui, also you were very convincing last night 'Arry." Fleur teased saucily. Harry blushed again, Fleur giggled. "'e ees zo cute when he does zat."

"Isn't he though?" Tonks agreed.

Harry flushed even deeper before clearing his throat and continuing. "Ok, but how am I head of two houses? I imagine the house Potter took effect on my birthday, but where did the other house come from?"

"Isn't that obvious Harry?" Tonks gave him a penetrating look. "Sirius named you his heir. That makes you Lord Black."

Harry was stunned. He knew Sirius had left him an inheritance, but not that it included a lordship. "Ok, so who is who?"

Fleur and Tonks looked at their wedding rings, almost in sync. "Mine ees a stag on ze shield." Fleur looked at Harry.

Harry nodded and gave her a grin, "That would be the Potter coat of arms Mrs. Potter." Then he looked at Tonks.

She was staring at her ring with wide eyes. "It's Black" she murmured. "It's the Black family coat of arms." She looked at Harry, "I'm Lady Black!"

Just then a silvery otter streamed in through the wall and stopped to stare at Harry. "Harry," Hermione's voice sounded anxiously from the patronus. "Ministry has fallen, there is now a Taboo on Tom's stage name so don't use it. The Burrow was attacked last night, but everyone is alright. They left when they saw you weren't there. Ron and I got away, but we appear to be in the dog house. Meet us as soon as you can." It's message delivered, the patronus faded out of existence.

""Well, zat puts zings into a different perspective." Fleur turned to look from Harry to Tonks. "But what do zey mean by 'ze doghouse'?"

Harry smiled, "It means that they are at headquarters. Sirius's house."

"Harry, if they hit the Burrow last night already, it probably wouldn't take them too long to track us down here as well." Tonks warned, rising from her seat at the table.

"Right, sorry about this girls but it looks like the honeymoon is over. We'd better get packed and over to Grimmauld Place before we are found."

"Non 'Arry, ze 'oneymoon ees not over. Eet ez merely postponed." Fleur winked at him as she too rose from the counter.

It didn't take long for the three of them to get ready to leave. They only had the clothing with them that they had bought the previous day, and the urgency they felt hurried them along. Not even stopping for showers, they dressed in the clothes they had on the night before and soon apparated to the street outside of number 12 Grimmauld Place. The look of the three of them coming through the door in their dishevelled evening wear must have been commical. Even when Tonk tripped over the umbrella stand and the curtains over Walburga Black's portrait swung open with a shriek of "BLOOD TRAITOR...", she froze mid rant as soon as her eyes fell upon the group.

"Well that's a neat trick." Harry mused helping Tonks back to her feet. "I wonder what caught her tongue."

"It's because you are the head of the family." Tonks rubbed her shin where it had impacted the stand. "Sirius was never able to take up his lordship so he couldn't shut her up."

Harry regarded the silent painting who regarded him with undisclosed hatred. "Well that will definitely make things much quieter around here."

Howerver the noise had alerted others inside the house to the new arrivals. Silently a wand poked around the frame of the kitchen doorway. Tonks froze, her eyes noting the wand which was quickly followed by an eye and a mane of bushy brown hair. Once Hermione caught sight of the trio, she called "Harry?!" He turned in time to catch Hermione as she dashed through the door and caught him in a crushing hug, nearly knocking him off of his feet.

"We were so worried about you when you didn't come back to the Burrow for along time. Then the Death Eaters attacked..." Hermione trailed off as she began to notice Harry's new clothes which had a faintly distinct odor of perfume, smoke, and alcohol.

Ron chuckled from the kitchen doorway. "That's alot more pleasent of a welcome than we received when we came in. There was some sort of illusion of Dumbledore charging at us through the hall. Lukily Hermione was able to counter the spell after we got here."

"Yeah, that was a nice bit of work Moody came up with." Tonks smiled sadly. "He put it up when we recast the Fidelius on the house after Dumbledore died."

Hermione stepped back from Harry as he turned toward Tonks. Slowly connections began to fall into place in Hermione's mind as she noticed that Tonks and Fleur were both wearing club clothes similar to Harry. And all three looked to be coming home late from a rough night.

"Who is the new secret keeper then?" Harry asked. "And why didn't I need to be told the location again by the new secret keeper?"

Fleur spoke up. "I would be ze new zecret keeper. Mr Moody zought zat with my Veela 'eritage I would be ze best candidate. You didn't need to be told ze location again because you are ze owner. Ze Fidelius cannot conceal ze location from ze owner. Only ze Order members and your friends were told 'Arry"

"Thank you Fleur." Harry turned back to Ron and Hermione, the latter was looking at him and his two wives with a knowing look. Harry blushed and cleared his throat a little sheepisly.

"Harry, what are they doing here?" Hermione asked.

"Well I guess there is one other little point for me to fill you in on. Lady Potter and Lady Black will be joining us on our little quest." Harry waved back toward Fleur (who waved shyly) and Tonks (who gave a mock salute).

At the announcement of the ladies' titles Ron's jaw dropped. Hermione just looked at Harry, silently requesting an explanation. Harry simply shook his head, now was not the time or place to discuss it. After a moment she asked "I thought that we weren't going to be involving any other people in this Harry. Dumbledore specifically said not to tell anyone other than us."

Tonks snorted, "Yeah but that was while he was alive and planning to help Harry himself wasn't it?"

"That doesn't make a difference..." Hermione started.

Tonks interrupted, "But it does make a difference. You need some people with experience to help you. Dumbledore intended to provide that experience himself but now he can't. Between Fleur and I we can fill that gap."

"Oui. 'Arry will still be in charge, but we will 'elp all zat we can."

"And what can you provide that Ron or I can't?" Hermione retorted, starting to get worked up.

"Well I could think of a couple of things." Ron muttered with a smirk, earning Hermione's gaze-o-death.

"Well, Tonks is a trained Auror and could help us with training, we will still have to confront Tom himself after we get rid of the Horcruxes." Harry began. "Plus she is a Metamorphmagus, she can change her appearance and get supplies and information for us. Fleur is a Gringotts trained curse breaker. She has access to alot of resources we don't right now. I doubt that there are many dark curses or items that Gringotts hasn't learned about or dealt with."

Hermione grumbled, but seemed to be somewhat mollified, then turned and stalked back into the kitchen. Ron gave Harry an amused look. "You need to get cleaned up a bit mate, then I'm looking forward to your explanation of what happened." Turning he headed back into the kitchen following Hermione.

Harry looked down at his appearance and winced, then he turned to survey his wives and noticed them doing the same. With a laugh he led them up the stairs to the bedrooms and bath. Maybe he could talk them into all three taking a shower together to...ah...save time.

Severus Snape knelt at the feet of Lord Voldemort, otherwise know (to very few) as Tom Riddle Jr. Bellatrix LaStrange writhed on the floor next to him, the after affects of the Cruciatus Curse coursing through her frail body. Her punishment for not getting ahold of Potter at the Weasly home. Severus had his head bowed trying to avoid the Dark Lord's gaze and, hopefully, avoid the same fate.

"Severus," the sibulant voice of Voldemort dashed that hope. "How are our plans for Hogwarts progressing?"

"My Lord, I have been confirmed as Headmaster. I will likely need to replace several of the teachers, Minerva and Flintwick at least will not wish to continue teaching with me as Headmaster." Severus could hear the slow, deliberate padding of bare feet on stone as Voldemort paced over to him.

"Oh Severus." Voldemort practically sighed. He reached down to draw his long fingers along Severus' cheek. "I believe you underestimate your teachers' dedication. If nothing else they will keep working there to try and 'reduce the damage' of the new educational system." Then Voldemort snorted, "At least we know of one position which won't need to be filled as Muggle Studies will be discontinued." The surrounding Death Eaters laughed, remembering the fate of the late teacher.

Severus had to struggle to maintain his mask, having to watch his fellow teacher killed then eaten by Voldemort's snake had been difficult to bear. Luckiky most of those in attendance took his slight cringe as a very understandable flinch at Voldemort's touch. Most had endured those caresses and knew that more often than not it was a prelude to pain. However this time Voldemort simply strode away to sit in his self styled throne.

"Severus, there are many changes which need to be made at Hogwarts in order to properly educate our young." Voldemort paused for a moment. "First the only house will be Slytherin, the others will be disbanded. There will be loyal Slytherins placed in each of the dorms of the former houses to ensure alegence. Second, all Mudbloods will be secured in the dungeons for use by the loyal Purebloods."

"Use my lord?" Severus querried, afraid of the answer.

"Yes, for whatever the Purebloods see fit whether it be target practice or other, baser desires." He paused again then chuckled, a singularly disturbing sound. "In fact, I may begin sending you those who serve me well as a reward."

"Yes my lord," Severus replied, but his mind was working quickly. His oath as Headmaster would not allow him to permit this. Yet if he said anything, the Dark Lord might find a way around it which would force him to allow the actions.

"I will provide you with assistants to handle security and teach Dark Arts Studies." Voldemort concluded. Then with a wave of his hand, he dismissed the black robed educator. Snape rose and withdrew, his head bowed head and arms outstreatched. "Narcissa! Come get your sister!" Voldemort called out then looked at the twitching Bellatrix with disdain. "She's drooling on your floor."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Fist off I must appologize for my tardiness in this update. Life got in the way. There were a couple of comments I would like to address. First off, this fic is rated M due to violence and sexual situations. I will try to remember to place a note at the beginning of each chapter that has those situations in it, but my thought is that is what the rating system is for. Second is Severus Snape. I realize that much was sacrificed in canon to protect him, but this happens in the real world as well. With law enforcement and military intelligence gathering, your sources becomre useless if they are compromised.

A/N: I still do not own anything Harry Potter. Guess I have to go back to work Monday after all.

Chapter 4

Harry, Fleur, and Nym (well they couldn't really keep calling her Tonks now could they) trooped down the stairs to the kitchen of 12 Grimmauld Place chatting. Harry looked to the side as he passed the row of House Elf heads on the wall and stopped.

"Kreacher!" At Harry's call the demented old house elf popped onto the stairs.

"You called Lord Black?" the old elf bowed. Harry thought he caught a low mutterimg, but couldn't make out what else he said.

"I know that the old Black family displayed the heads of the former house elves, but I would prefer a less gruesome display. Please see that the heads are removed and given a proper burial with any neccessary ceremony that house elves have, leave the plaques. In place of the heads I want pictures of each elf. This way they may be remembered respectfully."

"As Lord Black wishes." Kreacher grumbled although Harry clearly heard the muttered "not proper" afterward as Kreacher turned and began to remove the first head on the wall.

Harry lead the way down into the kitchen where Ron and Hermione were already waiting. Their conversation broke off as the threesome made their way into the room and sat down. Ron greeted Harry with a smile, while Hermione wore a slight scowl giving Nym and Fleur frosty glares.

"So," Ron started, trying to break the frosty atmosphere "you promised a story when you guys got done."

"How much do you know about what happened yesterday morning?" Harry asked.

Ron glanced at Hermione who was still glaring at Nym and Fleur before he answered. "Well we were told that Bill and Remus left and you stopped Fleur and Tonks from destroying the Burrow. But then the three of you disappeared..."

"That was really irresponsible of you Harry!" Hermione interrupted, unable to hold herself in another moment. "After all of the trouble we took to get you to the Burrow safely, and the loss of Mad Eye, you should have known better!" Harry winced, he knew she was right.

"And ze Burrow was zo zafe." Fleur cut in acidly. "Tell me, did Molly try to stop ze Death Eaterz or did she just give zem some of ze wedding cake?" Hermione and Ron both turned bright red.

"Well," Nym tried to move on, "long story short Bill and Remus ran off together chasing rainbows." Ron looked confused while Hermione looked scandalized. "Harry consoled us with some target practice first, then a night of shopping and dancing. While he was assuring us that we were worth marrying he let slip that he would have gladly married us himself. His conviction and our own feelings were enough to initiate the Head of House marriage. Harry, as the head of two houses, can have two wives. So here we are." At this announcement Ron gasp, Hermione giving him a slightly affronted confused look.

"You consumated both marriages in one night?!" Ron looked impressed.

"Oui," Fleur giggled, her temper receding. "'Arry did a very thorough job of consumating ze marriages." Hermione blushed an even deeper red eliciting a full blown laugh from Nym.

"So you seduced him into marrying you?" Hermione accused, standing and leaning forward over the table. "And on the same day you were supposed to get married to Bill? I guess anyone will suffice for a Veela?" she spat at Fleur.

"If anything, he seduced us." Tonks snorted.

Fleur jumped to her feet, her anger quickly rising again. "'Arry continuously treated me with respect zince we met. Which ees more zan I can say about Bill. 'Arry stood up me when Ginny and Molly were treating me like a hussy which Bill did not."

Harry decided that he needed to head off this line of thinking immediately. "Hermione, you were the one who wanted me to get more help in the first place. Now that I am married to Fleur and Nym they are in this as deep as I am and they have the right to be involved." Hermione snorted, but sat back down, Fleur doing the same. "Ok, we need to start planning what to do next, otherwise Tom will keep getting stronger."

"Tom?" Nym asked

"Moldy's real name." Harry explained. "Since there is a taboo on his common name I figured we could use his real name. There are lots of people with that name so it would be too confusing to track that one."

Nym nodded, "That makes sense. So you mentioned that Dumbledore had some ideas about what the Horcruxes were before he died?"

"Well, we already know what his first one was and I took care of that already."

"The diary from second year?" Ron asked Harry.

"Yeah. He made that one while he was still in school by killing Myrtle." Harry confirmed. "The other ones, Dumbedore was able to retrieve some memories which hinted at what they probably are. We think that at least some of the items were tied to the founders of Hogwarts. There was a ring from his mother's family who were descended from Slytherin. Dumbledore destroyed that one. There was also a locket from that was supposed to be Slytherins himself. We thought we knew where it was, but when Dumbledore and I got there we found a fake instead." Harry placed the fake on the table. "There is also a cup that Hufflepuff had, but we don't know where he hid it."

"You zaid zat zome items would be connected to 'ogwarts founders which implies all four. Are zere more?" Fleur asked, Nym was staring at the locket on the table.

Harry nodded. "Dumbledore couldn't find any memories about Gryfindor or Ravenclaw heirlooms, but he was sure that Tom never got ahold of the only known Gryfindor heirloom."

"Gryfindor's sword." Hermione supplied, finally joining the coversation.

"Merlin!" Fleur breathed. "'Ow many pieces did he make?"

"Seven." Harry said dourly.

"So we have two confirmed destroyed, two more known but we don't know where, and three comletely unknown. Wonderful." Ron grumbled.

"Actually we do know what one of the last three is and I doubt I'll have any trouble finding it when I'm ready." Harry supplied.

"Vol - Tom." Hermione guessed, Harry nodded.

"We know where another one was." Nym said quietly, still staring at the locket on the table. "Sirius and I threw that damn thing away at least a dozen times each." She looked up at Harry. "But Kreacher kept bringing it back. We could tell it was very dark but couldn't open it."

"So 'R.A.B.' was a Black?" Hermione asked.

"'R.A.B.?'" Nym asked. Harry handed her the letter which was found in the locket. She read through it, then she put it down on the table with fresh tears in her eyes. "Regulus Arcterus Black, Sirius' brother."

"The Death Eater?" Ron asked, Nym nodded.

"Appparently he had a change of heart near the end." She concluded. "Kreacher!" Nym called out. The old house elf popped into the room. As soon as his eyes fell on the locket laying on the table he froze, as if petrified.

"Kreacher, we know what Regulus was doing." Harry began. "Could you tell us what happened?"

"The Dark Lord told Master Regulus that he needed to borrow a house elf." Kreacher began, not taking his eyes off of the locket. "He took Kreacher to a cave, Kreacher was left there to die but Kreacher got home. When Kreacher was healthy again, Master Regulus had Kreacher take him back. Master Regulus didn't survive, but Master gave Kreacher the locket to destroy. Only Kreacher was unable to destroy it. Kreacher has failed the Black family." He broke his gaze from the locket and looked down at the floor.

"Kreacher, I would like to finish what Regulus started." Harry told him, squatting down to the house elf's level. "Is the locket still here?"

To his dismay the elf shook his head. "Nasty, dirty man stole it, along with the silver."

"Dung." Nym growled. ""Kreacher, find Mundungus Fletcher and bring him back here."

Kreacher pulled his head up and gave her a penetrating look. Noting the fire in her eyes, the old elf slowly broke into a slightly sinister grin. "Yes Mistress." Kreacher popped from the room.

"'Arry, we need to get to Gringotts and get my reference book. If we can get ze locket, zere may be a way to track ze other 'orcruxes." Fleur stood from the table.

"Right. Nym, you should probably come along as well. We can straighten out the Black family stuff while we are there." Harry looked at Ron. "If Kreacher gets back before we do, tie Dung to a chair and throw a bucket of water on him or something."

Severus Snape paced the Headmaster's office, struggling with what he had to do. The portrait of Albus Dumbledore watched silently, having not said much since Severus returned from his meeting with Tom Riddle. It glanced around the office, redecorated with a much more stark decor. Gone were the shiny, whirling instruments of the previous occupant. Now the walls were lined with tables covered with various potion ingredients and cauldrons on the counters. Dumbledore's portrait turned toward the office door as someone began pounding on the opposite side. Pulled from his thoughts, Severus stopped and turned to the door. He took a moment to compose himself before calling "Enter."

Professor Minerva McGonnagall strode into the room, nearly throwing the door from it's hinges. "What is the meaning of this?"

"You will need to be a little more specific than that Professor." Severus replied, his aloof mask firmly back in place.

"Moving these students out of their house dorms." She replied, shaking a stack of parchment at him. "They were sorted into their houses by Hogwarts itself."

"My dear Professor, they are getting their own rooms. I would think the brats would be greatful for the 'upgrade' in housing."

"They are being locked into the Dungeon!" McGonnagall screeched.

"It is for their safety Professor."

"The doors lock from the outside!" she threw the parchment on his desk.

"Professor, these children are hardly well trained. They are not aware of the dangers of the magical world and specifically this castle. The last several years discipline has been lax and I will not tolerate that. This will keep them from traipsing around the castle at all hours getting into who knows what trouble." He could see her beginning to respond again. "That will be all, you are dismissed."

Her mouth fell open, then she stood straight and turned to stalk from the room. The door slammed behind her. Severus deflated a little with a sigh after she left the room. Then he turned to the smirking face of Albus Dumbledore looking out at him from a canvas. The painting regarded the former potions master with a smirk.

"So what are you going to do now?" the painting asked. "Your oath as Headmaster won't let you do what Tom wants you to do. And now the teachers are starting to push back."

Severus shot the painting a dark look. "Don't smirk at me or I will use you to line the owlery tower floor." He ran a hand through his greasy hair. "I may need to let her in on what the plan is. I don't think she is a good enough actor to fool the Carrows though."

Harry, Fleur, and Nym climbed the steps to the entrance to Gringott's bank. Harry was underneath his invisiblity cloak following word that the ministry had been taken over by Voldemort's followers. Once in the bank they noticed additional non-Goblin gaurds standing near the entry. Harry guessed that the new ministry was making a swift attempt to control the wizarding world by controlling the money flow. Harry already knew he had been named public enemy number one, and it was only a matter of time before there was a move made against other non-desireables such as muggleborns, those who were listed blood traiters, and non-humans.

Fleur discreetly led them to the employee entrance, breathing a small sigh of relief once they passed through the door. Slowly she moved through a maze of corridors deeper into the ground. Eventually they arrived at a bland, unmarked door placed in a long bare wall. Opening it they entered the curse breaker department, which was really just a large room with desks and various artifacts strewn around. Fleur crossed to her desk rapidly. No sooner had she retrieved her field manual than she was acousted by a surly looking Goblin wearing kahki cargo pants, matching shirt, and a pith helmet. Harry was beginning to think that surly was the natural state for Goblins.

"Delacour!" the officious Goblin Snarled. "Or is it Weasley now?" His lip curled in a sneer. "Why are you here? You aren't supposed to be back for a couple of weeks."

Fleur looked around to see if anyone was near before replying in a low voice. "Actually Manager Goldfist, Bill ran off the morning of the wedding. But my name isn't Delacour anymore either." She discreetly showed the Goblin her ring, his eyes widened when he saw the house crest. Fleur motioned toward Nym. "My friend said she needed to consult her account manager. I thoght that if I accompanied her it would be more discrete."

Nym stepped forward, holding her ring slightly forward as well while using her other to motion to Fleur. "My good friend here was kind enough to accompany me. She even thought that we may actually have the same account manager.

Goldfist's eyes were positively bugging out of his head now. Harry would have laughed if it wouldn't have given his presence away. Eventually the Goblin was able to regain his composure (surly) and motioned for the two Witches to follow him. Harry followed closely so he wouldn't be lost.

Nothing was said by Goldfist as they travelled even deeper into the warren that was Gringott's. Fleur and Nym gave each other frequent looks of confusion, but neither broke the silence while following Goldfist, who became noticably more nervous as they progressed. Eventually they came to a stretch of wall with another non-descript doorway. Harry wondered just how these Goblins knew where they were at in such a large complex if none of the doors were marked. Goldfist opened the door and motioned them in. As Harry passed through the doors, he felt a ripple move through him signaling that he was passing through some serious wards. This room was massive. Armour, weapons, and paintings decorated the room becoming more modern the further in they went. In the middle of the room was a long conference table made from a blood red wood. It's base was carved to resemble four dragons entangled in a tearing, ripping fight.

"Wait here while I get the account manager." Goldfist looked directly at where Harry was standing. "You can take your cloak off here Mr. Potter, the room is secure. Gringotts gaurantees our customers' safety, security, and confidentiality."

After Goldfist left the room and closed the door Harry dropped his cloak and joined his wives at the conference table. They waited perhaps fifteen minutes before the door opened again. Three Goblins entered, two carrying books and folders while a third, older Goblin brought up the rear. After the two younger Goblins deposited their burdens on the table, Harry recognized one of them as Griphook who had led him to his personal vault on his first visit to Gringotts six years ago. But before he could say anything, the senior Goblin barked something in Gobbledegook and the younger trooped out.

"My name is Flintknife." he introduced himself taking a seat opposite the table from the three. "I have been the Potter family account manager for the past fifty years. I now find myself the Black family account manager as well since the passing of Siruis Black two years ago, at his request. Normally an appointment is made for this sort of thing." Flintknife admonished before passing a blank sheet of parchment across the table to Harry. "First we must verify that you are indeed Mr. Harry Potter. Just place your hand on this sheet and say 'verificare identitatem' and your magic will verify who you are."

Harry did as told, and no sooner had he called "Verificare identitatem" than the sheet began to fill with several lines of text. He caught the words "Harry Potter" across the top before Flintknife drew the sheet back accross the table to him.

"Here we are: 'Harry Potter, Parents James and Lily Potter. Lord and Head of House Potter by birth. Lord and Head of House Black by inheritance from Sirius Black." Flintknife looked up briefly at Harry. "I see that you and your Ladies both have your House rings." Harry and the girls glanced down to their rings self-conciously. Flintknife pulled a box from the right hand stack of documents. and another from the left hand stack. "These are the Lord's signet rings for Houses Potter and Black. Since you are married, they are worn on the ring finger. Usually the main family on the left hand." He passed them to Harry who placed the Potter ring on his left ring finger and the Black ring on his right ring finger.

Flintknife grinned, then began to pull envelopes from the stack of books on his right. "First we have the documents for the Potter accounts. This first envelope contains the list of contents from the personal items vault. Any items which were salvageable from Potter Manor and the cottage in Godric's Hollow were placed in the vault as well."

Harry was surprised, he knew about Godric's Hollow but had never heard about Potter Manor. "Potter Manor?" he asked.

"Yes, it was your Grandparents' home. The reason your parents were in Godric's Hollow is because the Manor had been destroyed in a previous attack. Your Grandparents were outspoken in the Wizengamott in opposition to the Dark Lord, this made them a target. It was very costly for both sides, the Dark Lord lost a dozen of his inner circle while his opposition lost your Grandparents."

Harry didn't know what to say. He knew that his grandparents had died, but to hear how made it much more personal and fresh. Fresh grief raced through him, bringing more emotions as well; anger, sadness, betrayal. There was so much about his family that he didn't know, so much he hadn't been told.

"This folder contains a full accounting of the monetary vaults of the Potter family." Flintknife pushed over another thick folder followed by a third. "And finally this folder contains a list of properties owned by the Potter family. There are several that are bringing in annual rent as well as some businesses which the family partially owns."

Harry took the proffered folders, surprised by the weight, before turning back to Flintknife. "Is there anything else for the Potter accounts?"

"No, we can move along to the Black accounts." Flintknife pulled another batch of files from the left hand stack. "As before, here are the personal effects, monetary, and property lists. This fourth folder contains a personal communication from Mr. Black."

Harry accepted the last folder with a shaking hand. Sirius had left him a letter. Even though it was two years ago, a fresh wave of grief brought tears to his eyes. Nym and Fleur each wrapped an arm around him. Comforted by their embrace, Harry was able to gather himself enough to continue.

"Is there anything else about my estates we need to discuss?"

"Not at this time." Flintknife replied. "Is there anything else you require from Gringotts?"

Harry thought for a moment. "Is there a way for me to contact you without coming in through the main entry? I will probably have questoins once I review these files and entry through the main doors may be difficult."

Flintknife pulled a small piece of parchment from his desk drawer and wrote on it before handing it across to Harry. "This is the muggle mailing address for Gringotts as well as a phone number. Few wizards would use either, and even less even know these numbers exist. Just call in and ask for me. I would also suggest getting a postal box, any communication can be handled through the muggle post. If it is necessary to send you something the muggle post is less likely to be intercepted."

Harry nodded, he had the same thoughts that most of Tom's followers would ignore anything muggle. "The last thing would be a bank card or a credit card of some sort. I will need access to money without running into the bank every few days."

Flintknife pulled another box off of the Potter account documents pile and passed it accross to Harry. "Here is a bank card for muggle purchases. There is also a transfer bag for wizarding currency, just point your wand at the closed pouch and say how much you need."

Harry thanked Flintknife as he took the box. Flintknife stood and extended his hand to Harry, Fleur and Nym's faces showing their shock. "We look forward to hearing from you soon Mr. Potter. And good luck."


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I really want to thank all of you for following and reviewing my story. I appologize for how late this update is, but hopefully you will enjoy it the same.

Now for the disclaimer. Since I still have to go to my day job, I guess that means I don't own any part of Harry Potter. Oh well.

Just a warning that the first little bit has some implied abuse. Also the last bit has some S&M, but nithing hardcore.

Chapter 5

The guest room of Malfoy Manor was decorated to impress with dark, exotic woods, green velvet cushions and bedding as well as silver trimmed green curtains. Yet it was only one of many, and by far not the most opulent. That room was currently occupied by the Lord and Lady of the house, having surrendered the master bedroom to Voldemort.

"Damn it Lucius! Look what he's done to my sister!" Narcissa gestured to the sumptuous bed where Bellatrix lay, recouperating from her torture the previous day. "If not for Snape she would be dead!"

Lucius barely spared a glance at the comatose woman. "Serves her right for failing our Lord." His sneer emphasizing his disdain.

"How does he plan on making an army if he continues to torture and kill his followers?" Narcissa spat.

"Mind your tongue! Remember our vows, as your husband my word is law to you. Or will I be forced to break you the same way Rudolfus broke dear Bella?" Lucius ' sneer grew. "Recruitment more than doubled throughout the week if I remember correctly. The new recruits seemed quite happy with their signing bonus."

Narcissa's face blanched, she remembered that week well despite being twenty years ago. Bellatrix had objected to her husband Rudolfus about Voldemort. The following punishment had left her sister bed ridden for weeks and no longer able to bear children. Physically she had recovered her strength, but mentally Bellatrix had not been the same afterwards. Once willful and outspoken, she became withdrawn and harbored a haunted look in her eyes. She no longer expressed any individuality, instead bowing fully to her husband and his bigotry. Lucius noticed the change in her expression.

"I have been lenient, but my patience is waning." Lucius spun, swirling his robes, and strode from the room.

Narcissa crumbled into a bedside chair. "Damn you Sirius. Why did you have to get yourself thrown into Azkaban? You've condemned us all"

So wrapped up in her own thoughts, Narcissa did not notice the tear which trickled down Bellatrix's cheek.

Harry sat at the kitchen table in 12 Grimauld Place with a cup of coffee and a stack of folders in front of him. He had risen early hoping that Kreacher would have returned by now with Mundungus Fletcher, but no such luck had greeted him this morning. Not wanting to return to bed and wake his wives, he decided to dig into his paperwork from Gringotts. Most of the statements were pretty straight forward; account balances, properties, and investments.

His first surprises came with the account balances. If he understood them correctly, he had enough money to buy pretty much whatever he wanted several times over, and that was just the Potter accounts. Both the Black and Potter accounts had seen some stagnation due to no one being in control of them for years, but they were by no means dead.

Next were the properties, apparently he was receiving rent from about half of Diagon Alley. He also found the property on which the Potter Manor had been located. According to the paperwork, the buildings were in ruins, but the property was absolutely huge and apparently invisible to muggles. If this were the normal for Magical family homes, Harry wouldn't be surprised if the actual size of Great Britain were nearly twice what muggles thought it was.

"Blimey mate, doing homework even though we're not going back to Hogwarts this year?" Harry looked up to see Ron and Hermione entering the kitchen, hand in hand. Harry met Ron's smiling eyes and broke into a grin as well.

"Well, anyone hanging around here much longer will be going to school. But I think the professors will be much easier on the eyes than most of the Hogwarts staff." Harry quipped. "I'm going to have Nym and Fleur teach us a few things to get us ready for what's ahead. This is just the paperwork from Gringotts. I thought I would get caught up a bit while I wait for Kreacher to bring back Dung."

"Harry, it's only been one night." Hermione sat down accross the table from Harry. "It will probably take Kreacher a little while to track Mundungas down."

Harry, noticing Hermione's attempt at normalcy, cocked an eyebrow at her causing her to blush sheepishly. "I see you've settled down a little." Harry ribbed, leading her to duck her head a little lower like a scolded child. "Look, I understand you were worried. I should have been more careful and not run off like that. But that doesn't mean Nym, Fleur, or I did anything that I didn't want to do."

"You're right, I'm sorry." Hermione's murmur was barely audible.

"I'm not the one you need to apologize to." Harry pointed out.

"I know"

They were interrupted when Nym entered the kitchen wearing a long tank top shirt. As she rounded the end of the table she stretched her arms over her head causing her shirt to ride up, exposing that she was only wearing a thong underneath. Hermione blushed and Ron took an interest in the ceiling while Harry just grinned appreciatively at his wife. Returning his grin, Nym took a short skip before flouncing down in Harry's lap.

"Wotcher husband!" Tonks chirped before leaning in to give him a long snog.

"Good morning Nym," he answered as he leaned back to look at her with a grin. "That was almost an X-rated greeting."

"Almost?" Nym asked, "I guess I'll have to try harder next time. So why were you up so early this morning." She turned slightly in his lap and stole his coffee cup.

"Well as I was just telling Ron and Hermione, I've just been going through the paperwork I got from Gringotts." Harry reached one hand forward to move one of the folders away. Nym was still a klutz with a cup of coffee after all. "Where is Fleur?"

"We were having a little race to see who could get down here first. Winner got to sit in your lap. She may have had a little trouble with the bathroom door." She leaned back in his lap, pulling the last folder from the stack. Almost as if on que, a resounding crash was heard from upstairs. "Sounds like she figured out the door."

Shortly Fleur entered the room, wearing a long silky night dress. The fabric of the dress was so thin as to almost be transparent. The look she directed toward Nym as she walked around the table was mischievous. She was, thankfully, oblivious to Ron's nearly catatonic state as he could only stare at the French woman. Harry just noticed the small fireball form in Fleurs hand quickly enough to seize the folder from Nym's hands before Fleur struck, incineratingthe shoulder traps of Nym's top. As quick as Nym could throw her arm accross her bust to remain clothed, Hermione pulled her wand and quickly repaired Tonks' strap. Harry roared with laughter, leaning back in his seat.

"Get a room." the red faced Hermione chided.

"We have one." Tonks grinned back and gestured around the house. "Several in fact, you just happen to be in one."

"While I'm sure Harry is more than appreciative, it may be more appropriate for such shenanigans to be private." Hermione chided. Fleur and Nym both just looked at her before, in unison, they crossed their eyes and stuck out their tongues. This brought Ron out of his stupor and, with a chuckle, he turned back to Harry who was wiping tears from his eyes.

"So what's in that last folder Harry?" Ron prompted, unknowingly bringing Harry's somber mood back.

"It's from Sirius." The room quited and seemed to chill off suddenly. Fleur walked over to Harry and wrapped her slender arms around his neck, burying her face in his hair. After a few moments, Harry softly patted her arm, then leaned forward to place the folder on the table. He opened the folder and pulled out a sheet of parchment and two very old letters. Looking at the letters curiously, he set them aside when he saw they were addressed to Sirius. Turning to the parchment, he just stared at it for a long minute before looking up at his friends.

"I've waited for all of you to be here because I honestly don't know if I can get through this." He took the letter and began to read it out loud.

"Dear Harry,

I write this letter in the hope that you never read it. But the way things are right now, I have no illusions that will be the case. First, I would like to tell you how very proud of you I am. You have grown into a wonderful young man that I have been honored to know, and I am sure your parents would both be very proud of you as well. If you are reading this then you are also now aware that I have named you as my heir. While I know that it may cause you some difficulty, it will also present you with opportunity to right some wrongs that were done many years ago.

Acompanying this letter you will find two old letters which were sent to me before my father, the last Lord Black died. They are from my cousins Bellatrix and Narcissa before they were married. They have both requested that I dissolve their marriages when I became Lord Black. Both were against their marriages from the start, but my father ignored them. Andromeda was able to become married before my Uncle, her father, passed. Unfortunately Bella and Cissy were not so lucky. When my father became Lord Black, he immediately betrothed my remaining two cousins to a pair of my Brother's friends.

Harry, I've reviewed the marriage contracts for both of them. Their wedding vows are just that, vows! They are unbreakable vows to obey their husbands' commands. But the wording is key. They are to obey their 'Husbands'. If you dissolve their marriages and bring them back into the Black family, the vow has no power over them anymore. You would free them from their slavery, as well as cut old Moldyshorts' money supply as Malfoy and LeStrange would be required to pay back the bridal dowries which were substantial.

I hope my inheritance can help you win Harry. Keep your frinds close and kick that snake bastard in the teeth for me.

With all of my love,

Sirius.

Mischief managed."

As Harry read the last two words, the parchment resolved into a portrait of Sirius and expanded in size to be the same size as the portrait of Walburga Black in the hall. Portrait Sirius looked around then gave Harry a conspiratorial wink. Even through his tears, Harry couldn't help but laugh.

"Didn't think you would get rid of me that easily now did you?" Sirius chuckled. "Find a good spot for me somewhere, just don't put me near my mother. I'd rather have some peace in my death."

"We'll find zomewhere to 'ang you in a little while." Fleur assured the portrait. Hearing her voice, Sirius started trying to look around the picture frame.

"Fleur?" he asked. "It's settled, just hang me in her room!" the portrait exclaimed, wagging his eyebrows.

"No, I don't want you perving on my wives while we try to have some privacy." Harry began, but trailed off when he noticed how stiff Nym had become. His attention immediately focused on his wife and he missed the portrait's incredulous "Wives?"

"What's wrong Nym?" he reached forward and softly grasp he shoulder.

"Using the unbreakable vow as a wedding vow?" Nym shivered on Harry's lap. "Who could do such a thing?"

"Harry, this could be a really big break!" Hermione's enthusiasm caused her to literally bounce in her chair. "Just think of how much information those two could have. And if you take them back into the Black house, they would essentially have to tell you what you ask them."

Ron interjected, "Yeah, but really bring them here? I mean Malfoy's mom probably isn't too bad, but Bellatrix? She's nutters!"

"But think of what she's been through. She didn't have a choice did she? And if you spent that many years in Azkaban you'd be a bit off yourself. I mean look how bad Sirius was by the time he got out, and he was in control of his own actions." Hermione tried to plead Ron into seeing her side.

Harry and Fleur were paying more attention to Nym who had slowly started to shake her head from side to side."It won't work." she almost wispered, but everyone at the table heard. "Yes as head of house, Harry could dissolve the marriages and bring them back into the family. Once back in the family Narcissa and Bellatrix would be required to answer his questions truthfully. But Harry can't just declare the marriages annulled. Both parties of the marriage must be in attendance." Nym looked up with a fierce glare in her eye. "And I am not letting Harry within a hundred miles of Malfoy or LeStrange."

Hermione deflated a little, while Ron snorted. "Great, we finally get a break and we can't bloody well use it."

"Well at least you got this handsom portrait out of the deal." Sirius' portrait leaned back in his frame and gesturing cheekily up and down his front.

"Careful you, or we'll hang you in Kreacher's closet." Nym wiggled her finger at the portrait.

As if the mention of his name was a summons, Kreacher popped into the kitchen holding the collar of an unconcious and very dirty Mundungas Fletcher. His quickly darkening eye and jaw attested to his willingness to accompany the elf. Kreacher's grin was positively maniacal.

"Master, Kreacher has brought the thief as you commanded." The old elf seemed almost happy.

Harry jumped up, nearly dumping Nym onto the floor. "Thank you Kreacher! Nym, Fleur lets wake him up."

"Let''s get dressed first 'Arry." Fleur disagreed. "'ee is not goin anywhere."

"But he may have the locket yet."

"He does not Master." Kreacher responded sadly. "Kreacher made sure of that before bringing him here."

"She's right Harry, let Fleur and I get dressed. We'll take care of Fletcher." Nym's grin was positively predatory.

Mundungas awoke on his back to pain, alot of pain. Groaning he remembered that batty House Elf of Black's attacking him and trying to beat information out of him about some bauble he took from the house. He didn't know what the problem was anyway, the dratted thing was in the trash bin to begin with. He tried to move only to feel an even sharper pain in the middle of his chest. Slowly he opened his eyes, to meet a spike heeled black leather boot. Slowly his eyes travelled up the boot, noting that it ran up to a very shapely middle thigh. His eyes continued up the leather pants clad leg to the shapely body of Nymphadora...

"Tonks?" the confused man groaned out.

"Actually Dung, it's Lady Black now." Nym dismissed, grinding the heel of her boot into his chest. "Now Fleur and I have a few questions for you."

"And you will answer zem for us won't you?" He heard Fleur ask sweetly from his right. He turned his head just as she unleashed some of her Allure on him. That combined with the light blue summer dress she wore had him near drooling.

"Anything you say sweetums." He drawled, his glassey stare not noting the look of disgust that flashed accross Fleur's face. Nym put some more weight on her heel, bringing his attention back to her.

"Now Fletcher, you have taken something very important from the house." She brought her hand up which had a locket dangling from it. "This is a copy, not worth anything, but the original was a priceless family heirloom."

"You do recognize eet don't you Monsieur Fletcher?" Fleur had moved closer and leaned down, he could feel her breath on his cheek as she reached out and guided his eyes back to the locket.

"Uh, yeah." He was having trouble concentrating on the question. The combination of pain and Fleur's allure was causing him to feel slightly uncomfortable in his pants. "I didn't get anything out of it though, that Ministry Bitch confiscated it."

Nym, a sinking feeling in her stomach, leaned forward puting her full weight on Mundungas' chest. "What Ministry Bitch?" Nym asked him. He gasp, the combination of pleasure and pain messing with his mind. Nym smacked him accross the face to get his attention again. "Who was it?!"

"Umbridge!" Mundungas gasp out, his body spasming as his eyes rolled back in his head. He relaxed back onto the floor with a groan, his breathing slowing until he was in deep sleep. Fleur and Nym gave him a disgusted look before summoning Kreacher to remove Fletcher. Harry entered with Kreacher and gave the girls an appraising look.

"What did you find out?"

"He had it, but it got stolen from him." Nym pouted

"So we're back where we started?" Harry's face fell as he slumped to a chair by the table.

"Non, we at leest know 'oo 'as eet. Someone from ze Ministry named Umbridge." Harry stared at Fleur, gape mouthed. "You 'ave 'eard of 'er?"

Harry held up his right hand and showed her the back of it. "Intimately. She was a professor at Hogwarts for one year. Her detentions for me were writting lines with a blood quill."

"Well it's time for some payback." Nym growled. "The Umbitch has alot to pay for."

"First let's take care of Mundungas here." Harry walked over to the prone form and took out his wand. Passing it over the man, slowly the bruises and swelling from his encounter with Kreacher faded. When he was finished, Harry woke him.

"Fletcher." Harry tried to get the groggy man's attention. "I need to find some other family heirlooms and I thought that a person of your purveying skills would be the one to ask."

"What...um...what can I help you with?" Mundungas struggled to sit up while trying to hide the wet spot on the front of his pants.

"Well, one item is a cup." Harry handed him a sketch he had drawn from the House Elf's memory Dumbledore had shown him. "It is rumored to have belonged to Hufflepuff at one time. The other I do not know what it is, but it is an artifact from Ravenclaw."

Mundungas scratched his head. "I don't know about the cup, but the only Ravenclaw artifact I've ever heard of was a jeweled diadem. No one has seen it though since her daughter hid it somewhere in Hogwarts. And good luck getting in there to find it."

Harry exchanged glances with Fleur and Nym. That information got them at least a lead to check out, one they didn't have before.

"Thank you Mundungas, that is very helpful. And if you hear anything important make sure to get word to Arthur, Remus or Kingsley." Harry motioned Kreacher forward. The House Elf grabbed Mundungas' shirt and they both disappeared with a pop.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Again another overdue update. I know where I want this story to go, it is just taking me a bit to get the intermediate steps.

About Mundungas and the diadem. Luna did imply in Deathly Hollows that it is well known and people have been looking in Hogwarts for it because nobody knew about where it was hidden. The Grey Lady did hide it in Romania, but Harry figured out that Tom brought it back and hid it in the room of requirement because he had seen it there before. As far as Mundungas knowing about it, I am taking the approach that if it is famous and worth money, he will have at least heard of it. He strikes me as the type of person who thinks higher of himself than he actually is.

Now for the disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the affiliated characters. Wish I did seeing how long lived the phenomena is.

Chapter 6

Dinner following Mundungas' interrogation was a subdued affair with everyone in a pensive mood. Just the mention of the vile Umbridge had put a damper on the occupants of Grimauld Place that even the constant threat of Riddle had not been able to do. Probably because all of them except Fleur had personal experience with the toad. Harry really did not look forward to encountering her again, but he had to get the horcrux back at all costs. Looking around the table, he saw each occupied with their own thoughts. Nym's stormy face and hair, shifting through various shades of red, said she had an axe to grind with Umbridge as well. Hermione was poking at her food while stealing glimpses at Fleur who was paging through her Gringotts book. Ron, as always, had dug singlemindedly into his food. This couldn't go on.

"Well, we're about as lively as Binns' history of magic lecture." Harry observed, resolutely breaking the silence.

Hermione stole another glimpse toward Fleur, and this time was caught. "'ermione, eizer you are trying to give yourzelf whiplash or you 'ave somezing to say." Fleur chided without looking up.

"Unless you have a crush on my wife." Harry added with a cheeky grin.

Hermione's face went as red as a tomato. So did Ron's as he started choking on a mouthful of shephards pie. Nym just snorted slightly before returning to her brooding, determined not to laugh. Fleur looked over at Hermione and set her book aside. Hermione took another moment to compose herself before turning to Fleur.

"Fleur, I am terribly sorry for the way I acted when I heard about your marriage to Harry. I found something inside myself I didn't like much. I was jealous and scared that he wouldn't want my opinion anymore. I judged you based on gossip and stereotypes I read in magazines which wasn't fair to you. I hope to make it up to you, if you will give me the chance."

Fleur just looked at her impassively, causing Hermione to squirm slightly in her chair. "Much like 'Arry, I 'ave been judged most ov my life based on what I am, not 'o I am. I 'ad 'oped zat with 'Arry's closest friends I would not 'ave to deal with ze same treatment."

Hermione hung her head, "I understand." She lifted her head to look at Fleur again. "I'll just get my things..." Fleur held up her hand, cutting into Hermione's train of thought.

"'Aving said zat, I accept you appology. As for making eet up to me, you can start by 'elping me look zrough ze books in ze study upstairs for any additional information on 'orcruxes."

"Hermione, just because I got married doesn't mean that I still won't need the advise of my friends." Harry confirmed. "If anything I will probably need the advice of my friends even more."

Hermione looked like Christmas came early. There were few things she liked as much as research, and the chance to be helpful just enhanced the experience. Rising swiftly Hermione practiacally drug Fleur from the room, barely leaving her enough time to grab her manual.

Harry chuckled at Hermione's enthusiasm and shook his head. He was confident that they would work out their differences with time, and hopefully Hermione would be better for it. Turning to the remaining two, Harry smiled.

"What's got into you?" Ron questioned, looking at him suspiciously.

"We've probably lost the two of them for awhile, and Nym looks like she is going to break something." Harry was interrupted by a very un-lady like snort from the end of the table. "Let's go down to the basement and work on clearing a room for training. We can set up some target dummies and Nym can blast to her heart's content." Harry and Ron got up and turned toward the door, only to find that Nym was already descending the basement stairs.

Three hours later, a very exhausted Ron and Harry followed a somewhat less grumpy Nym up to the second floor study. Hermione and Fleur were seated cross-leg on the floor, books strewn about between them. The portrait of Sirius observing all from the wall above the fireplace mantel, lounging and looking bored.

"Now I see why portraits sleep so much." He yawned. "There is absolutely nothing for me to do, I should have thought this through a little more."

"Why don't you go visiting the other portraits?" Ron asked as he stared absently into the glass of water Kreacher handed him.

"There are only two other portraits here to visit, Phineas and my mother. Neither one approved of me while I was alive so you can imagine how that would go."

"Maybe if you're good, we'll make a copy of you so that you can visit somewhere else too." Harry commented as he dropped into a high-backed chair. "Some where with lots of portraits that you can talk to." He took a glass of water from Kreacher who popped out again.

"What about Potter Manor? The potters had lots of portraits."

"The Goblins told me that the manor was destroyed in the last war." Harry countered, confused. "Why would you want to be in a ruin?"

"Oh, the upper structure was destroyed, but the Potters were already in lock-down mode. They had the artifacts, portraits, and family tapestry secured somewhere deep underground by the time the Death Eaters attacked. Unless a Potter opened the door, everything should still be there."

Harry's jaw dropped open and he stared at the portrait in dumb incomprehension. There may be something surviving at Potter Manor? Family papers, portraits and history? Inspecting the property just moved up in Harry's priority list. Just then Fleur gave a cry of triumph, bringing the attention of everyone in the room to her.

"Find something useful?" Ron asked from where he had settled next to Hermione.

"Quite a bit actually." Hermione piped up, readily shifting into her lecture mode. "The Horcurx ritual is actually a hybrid, using portions of Japanese and Egyption rituals merged together. The Japanese portion was from a ritual used by Samurai after their first kill in battle to link their swords to their souls, making it an extension of their will and granting them extra control over it's movement. But it was only a link and didn't really have any effect on the caster. The Egyptian portion was a part of the marriage ritual used by the nobility to link the couple together at a deeper level. It exchanged a bit of soul between the couple which allowed them to have a sort of mental connection..." Hermione paled and glanced at Harry "Oh Harry.."

"Later." Harry cut her off. He had already come to the same realization.

She nodded before continuing softly. "There was a side effect that each only truly died when the other died. It appears to be the basis for the Osiris and Isis myth and why so much care was put into the preparation of the mummy. But both eventually died, not really granting any sort of immortality. By merging the two rituals into one it became possible to, by sacrificing a life, transfer part of the soul into an object that wouldn't die."

"Blimey." Ron breathed.

"Anoser zing we found ees sat when ze 'orcrux ees created, ze creator's power eez split, like ze soul, and 'alf is locked away in ze object with ze soul." Fleur elaborated.

Nym was shaking her head. "That doesn't make sense. If that were happening Tom should be nearly a squib by now yet he seems to keep getting stronger. How the hell powerful was he to start with?"

"Exactly our zoughts." Fleur nodded.

Hermione began to fidget slightly as slowly Harry began to nod. Now the connection he had with Riddle started to made sense. He had suspected the reason he had been so easily posessed by Riddle. Why else would Harry have been having visions of what he was up to?

"I'm a horcrux." Harry quietly voiced what Hermione were thinking. Everyone in the room turned to look at him

"We still have alot of information to go through on the rituals." Hermione tried to reassure him.

"Zat eez what 'as me zo exzited. I 'ave found 'ow to remove ze soul piece in ze Egyptian divorce ritual. I need to review eet a bit more, but eet should work on ze 'orcruxes as well." Fleur smiled.

The whole room visibly relaxed with this announcement, Harry more than the others. Perhaps this meant that an end would finally be in sight to the nightmares. Nym walked over to him and sat on the arm of his chair, pulling him into a tight hug. Yes, things were begining to look up.

Tom Marvolo Riddle Jr., know the world over as Lord Voldemort, caressed the head of his snake familiar Nagini. He hated to be seperated from the serpent who had become first an unlikely mother figure, having been critical to maintaining him prior to his rebirth, then his most loyal companion. Truly the only one he could trust without doubt. In response to his touch, the serpent raised her head and regarded him calmly, tongue tasting the air.

"Do not worry my dear, I will not be gone long. But I find I am having trouble with my wand, it just isn't adequate." He turned as he heard someone enter the repurposed dining room he was using as a self-styled throne room.

"Ah Rodolphus." He greeted the man, his voice oozing honey. "I must take a short trip. While I am gone, you will be in charge here. You will also be in charge of caring for my familiar." Tom stuck his tongue out through his teeth and wriggled it toward Nagini. The snake rose slightly and returned the gesture, touching her tongue to his. He then rose and began walking toward the door. "Do not fail me."

Ignoring the bowing Rodolphus, Tom walked through the door and into the corridor past a bowing Severus Snape. Riddle didn't see the faint smile which crept across the greasy man's face.

Harry awoke the next morning with his face buried in a mass of silver-blonde hair. He inhaled Fleur's scent deeply, enjoying the feel of her in his arms. He had spent many years living with the Dursleys, thinking that it was impossible for anyone to love him. Now here he was, married to not one but two amazing women who he was accepting truly loved him. Thinking of his other wife Harry turned his head to the side, only to find that Nym was not there. Looking at the window, he noticed that it was still early. It was the final hours before dawn, when there was light but it was a muted grayish light.

"Harry, wake up!" Nym shouted from what sounded like downstairs. "We have to go, hurry!" He heard running from the hall followed quickly by Nym bursting into the room and jumping onto him as he lay.

"Oof!" he grunted, before staring up into the face of a maniacally grinning Nym. "And what has you so wound up this morning?" He managed to groan out.

"I just got off of the flue with Arthur Weasley. I got Umbitch's entire schedule for the day. I know where she will be throughout the whole day."

Fleur sat up and regarded the pair in the bed next to her. "'Ow will we get into ze Ministry?"

Nym just grinned. "Well Harry has that invisibility cloak, and I can impersonate any Witch or Wizard in the Ministry. Especially the higher ups who have been there awhile since I know them well enough to impersonate their behavior."

"That only accounts for the two of us." Harry pointed out.

"For a simple in and out, that should be enough. If she is wearing the thing, we just stun her and snatch it. If not, put a tracking spell on her to find out where her home is and get reinforcements." Nym was entirely too eager. Harry could see plenty of holes in her plan.

"Just how do you plan on knowing which Ministry employee it is safe to impersonate?" Harry pushed Nym to the side so he could sit up.

"I still get the daily duty reports from Shack. Today Dawlish is being deployed to help a hunter pack look for Muggleborns." Nym scooted to the edge of the bed and stood up. "If we hurry we should be able to get to the ministry before she goes into the court sessions."

"Court sessions?" Harry and Fleur responded together.

Dolores Umbridge stood outside of her department offices, waiting for the lift to take her to the basement of the Ministry of Magic, preening her pink sweater. She had not been this happy since Cornelious Fudge made her Undersecretary. She had been placed in charge of conducting the trials of the so called "Muggleborns", who were obviously just thieves who were stealing magic and wands from real Witches and Wizards. She positively delighted in the thought of bringing these counterfeits posing as Witches or Wizards to justice, sending them to the new holding cells at Hogwarts where they could finally be of some use. And if one or two of those, who happened to be somewhat prettier treats, took a slight detour on their way, well nobody cared.

"Ah Dawlish." Dolores greeted as she stepped into the lift next to the slightly surprised Auror. "Are you on guard duty for the hearings today?"

"Ah, no Madame Undersecretary. I am supposed to be on assignment with a hunter group, but needed to pick something up before I left."

"Excellent! Go talk to Shacklebolt and get someone else assigned. There are a couple of pretty little things on the docket today and I will probably be in need of your...talents." Umbridge slid slightly closer to him but seemed to bump into something she couldn't see. Not seeing anything she just shrugged and adged close enough to loop her arm through Dawlish's.

The Auror cleared his throat. "But shouldn't I be going with the hunter team to make sure they do a good job?"

"Oh don't bother." Umbridge reassured him in her sickly sweet voice. "Everyone knows Shacklebolt is sabotaging the hunter groups. But that Blood Traitor will be taken care of." She smiled at the idea of getting ahold of Shacklebolt, barely restraining from licking her lips.

She looked up at Dawlish, and caught him staring at her. Before anything else could be said, the lift arrived at the courtroom level. When the doors opened, she stepped through and looked back at Dawlish.

"If you can't get reassigned, just make sure you are here by the end of the trials today for escort duty." Umbridge turned with a giggle and wink as the lift doors closed behind her, missing Dawlish's blanched face.

Three hours later Nym, as Dawlish, and Harry were waiting in the corridor outside of courtroom number five in the basement of the Ministry. Harry was uncomfortable enough with the thought of being anywhere near Umbridge, but now the original plan to just stun her and leave was out the window. She did not have the necklace with her which meant that they would have to go to her home, and her comment about taking home a 'pretty little thing' had him concerned anyway. Could she have more muggleborn prisoners at home? Now his saving people thing was in full force. Nym had argued in favor of getting the entire Order together and performing a full raid on Umbridge's home, if they knew where it was. So they came up with a plan to get Nym and Harry into Umbridge's and summon Kreacher who would bring Fleur, Ron and Hermione. Between them they should be able to handle anything the Umbitch could dish out.

When the courtroom door opened, Harry had thought he was prepared for any eventuality. He was not prepared to see Umbridge leading a very familiar face out in shackles. Penelope Clearwater shuffled along in her shackles, too dejected and humiliated to fight anymore. Harry's mind was racing as Umbridge approached. He was so caught up in trying to figure out what to do that he nearly missed when Umbridge held up her end of Penelope's shackles to Nym.

"Ah Dawlish, you made it in time, excellent" she simpered, holding up the chain she was leading Penelope with. "Well what are you waiting for, grab hold. I don't want to wait all day!" She drew her wand and held it over the chain, waiting.

Harry roused himself just in time to see Nym take hold of the chain and Umbridge bring the wand down on it. His hand shot forward and grasp the chain just as Umbridge said "Calico". He felt the tell-tale hook behind his navel indicating a port-key just before he found himself sliding across a floor. Quickly he pushed himself up into a crouching position and brought out his wand. Unfortunately he had lost his cloak, revealing him to the staring eyes of an incredulous Umbridge.

"Potter?!" She screeched, training her wand on him. "Dawlish, get him!" She was promptly hit with spells from two different directions. Nym's petrification hex hit a split second before Harry's disarming hex catapulted Umbridge across the room into the far wall. Harry rose slowly, Umbridge's wand in his hand, and looked around the room.

He was reminded of her office from fifth year, the pink walls and multitude of cat portraits on the walls making him shudder. He noticed a couple of cats sitting on the pink frilly couch, looking at him with strangely intent expressions. They looked at each other briefly before one of them ran off into the house. Harry, with a small sense of foreboding, turned to Nym who was busily divesting Penelope of her shackles.

"Let's get moving, I don't know how long we have until someone finds out. Kreacher!" Harry called and the elf appeared with Fleur, Ron, and Hermione. "Let's spread out and find that necklace. Kreacher, can you find it?" Harry turned to look at Kreacher, who was staring at the remaining cat on the couch. Kreacher appeared to be listening to the low growl the cat was emitting

"Master," Kreacher said, still looking at the cat. "Not-kitty says it will lead you to the necklace if you remove all of the collars." More cats came into view around the end of the couch. Warily Harry looked at Fleur and Nym, each shrugging in turn. Then, with a shrug himself, he turned back to the cat and nodded.

Quickly jumping from the couch, the cat joined the others on the floor and turned to Harry expectantly. Harry aimed his wand at the group and cast a silent 'Alorhamora' which opened all of the collars in the group. Before the collars had fallen fully to the floor, the cats were on the move, heading straight for Umbridge. Harry started forward, wand drawn as she was quickly she was buried in a sea of wriggling tails. Harry, worried he had been tricked, began to heard hissing, growling, and a high keening sound coming from the Umbridge. Harry turned from the now gruesome scene, struggling to keep his stomach under control. Hermione buried her face in Ron's shoulder as Fleur comforted Penelope.

It didn't take long for the keening noises to stop. Then Harry heard Nym and Ron gasp. Turning, he was shocked to see not cats but people. Cornelious Fudge, sans bowler hat, stood closest to Umbridge, a sour look on his face as he spit something bloody onto the still form of Doloroes Umbridge. With an almost casual wipe of his sleeve against his mouth, Fudge turned toward Harry.

"Thank you Mr. Potter. Now you were looking for a certain necklace."


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: First I want to thank everyone for all of the comments. Also,, over 1000 followers, wow! Thank you!

A/N: On the subject of Lemons, I am hesitant to write much on this partially as I know at least one of my family mambers is reading my story. And they know I am writing it. Also, the M rating is not just for lemons, but also for violence and implied sexual activity. There will be plenty of violence, probably next chapter. I will be sure to mark it. That said, I did include a brief lemon in this update.

A/N: Getting closer to the resolution of the Narcissa/Bellatrix situation. That will be approximately half way through the story, but I'm sure you are all aware stories sometimes take on a mind of their own.

A/N: Finally I would like to suggest a couple of stories. First "A Black Comedy" by nonjon. Definitely an interesting read, and a unique solution to Voldemort. Second "Harry Potter and the Rune Stone Path." by Temporal Knight. Yes I know it is a Harem fic. The author does a good job with the writing and the visualization is rich.

Chapter 7

Harry couldn't stop the tears brimming in his eyes as he surveyed the substantial ruins before him. Potter Manor was more of a castle than a manor. Fleur and Nym had convinced him to survey the Potter estate to use as a possible refugee camp for those they had liberated from the late Dolores Umbridge. What greeted them had been a surprise. While not nearly on the scale of Hogwarts, it was definitely large enough for a formidable garrison. More evidence that the Potters were a truly powerful family. The damage to the ruin attested to the ferocity of the fighting it had seen. Originally a concentric design with a large keep as well as outer and inner moats, very little remained standing. Some of the walls were toppled inward and some outward. The buildings of the outer bailey had collapsed, but the damage was nothing compared to the inner keep. No discernable features of the keep remained standing above ground.

He pulled the collar of his jacket up as he stood on the ruin of the outer wall, just taking in everything while Fleur, Nym, Ron, and Hermione explored the ruins while they waited for Flintknife to arrive. Here was where he was from, this was his family's legacy. Like him it was broken, shattered, but there were foundations he could rebuild on. Looking at his friends and his wives, Harry started to smile. He knew he could count on them to help him rebuild his family when everything was said and done.

He turned his back on the tumbled down structure and let his gaze drift over the surrounding countryside. There were ten square miles of property, mostly woodland except around the old castle. For a mile in every direction the castle was surrounded by long fallow fields. Shrubbery and weeds clogging the once fertile fields. It would take time to clear the fields and make them fruitful again, but those plans could come later. Maybe even the very refugees he was helping could work to improve the land while they were hiding here.

"Harry!" Hermione called from behind him. He turned to see her waving him toward the base of what used to be a tower. "We think we've found something!"

He picked his way through the tumbled stones toward where Hermione and Fleur were searching. Harry was glad the two were now on friendly terms. Hermione's appology was appropriately contrite. Following the interrogation of Fletcher she had approached Fleur with head bowed asking forgiveness. Fleur, while seemingly frosty, had accepted. Now, two days later, they were working together and even laughing.

When he got to Hermione, he was led down through a crack in the walls to a partially collapsed chamber where Fleur was waiting. She was looking over what appeared to be a blank wall.

"'Arry, zere seems to be somezing 'ere." Fleur touched the wall in front of her. "Zere are traces of a concealment spell. Very old."

"I don't feel anything so we thought it might be something keyed specifically to the Potters." Hermione added.

Harry walked over to where Fleur stood. When he got there he could feel a pull toward the wall, almost calling for him. The wall seemed almost to glow, getting brighter the closer he got to it. On impulse, Harry took Fleur's hand in his and, lifting their joined hands, placed them on the wall in front of him. There was a low rumble, gravel sifted through cracks in the ruined ceiling. Reminiscent of the opening to Diagon Alley, the stones of the wall began shifting to reveal a doorway. Fleur gasp as the doorway revealed a spiraling stairway descending into darkness. Taking a step into the doorway, torches along the wall flared to life.

Harry turned to Hermione and Fleur. "Hermione, get Nym and Ron over here. I think only Fleur and I should go down, but I want you all here in case there are any surprises."

Hermione nodded and climbed back out of the chamber in search of the other two. Fleur, looking at Harry, noticed the emotions playing across his face and stepped forward pulling him into an embrace. After a moment he returned her embrace fiercely, his rigid posture slowly relaxing. Despite having two gorgeous wives, he was still not used to such contact. Although he was quickly growing to appreciate when his wives would spontaneously display their affection. He leaned back slightly and gave Fleur a smile. Her return smile was almost luminous before she launched herself back forward and smashed her lips to his, snogging him senseless. A light cough behind him brought the two out of their embrace. Harry turned to see Ron standing behind him as Hermione and Nym were crawling down through the crack.

"Nym, you three wait here and keep an eye out for Flintknife. Fleur and I are going to see what is below."

"Harry, is that a good idea?" Nym asked glancing worriedly at the doorway. "We don't know what's down there."

"It took the Potter House rings to open the door. I don't think that there is anything down there which would hurt Lord and Lady Potter. But I can not say the same for anyone else."

Nym wasn't happy, but she nodded her consent and sat against a wall where she could keep an eye on both the doorway and the collapsed wall they had entered through. Taking Fleur's hand again, Harry led the way down the narrow stair. It was a long, but not steep. In all it took about five minutes to reach another door at the bottom. This door was carved with a great shield bearing the stag emblem of the Potters. When Harry placed his hand on the center of the door, it silently swung open to reveal a long, vaulted room.

Inside the room where treasures the likes of which any museum would be envious. Armor and weapons representing British eras back to the Romans lined one side of the room. On the other side of the room were the more mundane, but personal collections of items. Tapestries, portraits, furnature, books and trunks were stacked somewhat haphazardly. These were what Harry was most interested in. When they had entered the torches lining the room illuminated, allerting the portraits to their arrival. Now they were being scrutinized by numerous pairs of eyes. Finally a tentative feminine voice spoke from the near group of portraits.

"Harry?"

Harry and Fleur walked over to the portrait of a young family. His eyes widened as he took in the auburn hair of the woman and the messy black hair of the man. Finally he considered the slightly pudgy baby which, appeared to be just a year old.

"Mum? Dad?" Harry choked out, fresh tears brimming in his eyes.

Lily Potter's eyes were streaming tears nearly as fast as her son. "Look at how grown you are! Has it really been so long?"

"If I had legs, I would kick myself and Padfoot for not digging us out of here earlier." James snarked with a crooked smile.

Harry couldn't help the half laugh snort that came through his tears. "It's not entirely your or his fault." Harry wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

"What do you mean?" James asked, looking around. "And where are they? Lord Potter had to have opened the catacombs door. And I assume by this point it has passed to me since Dad hasn't come to get anything from here yet."

"And are you going to introduce us to the lovely lady with you?" his mother added.

"Pleasant business first." Harry took Fleur's hand, who had been standing politely out of the way, and pulled her up beside him. "I would like to introduce you to my wife, Lady Fleur Potter." Expressions of excitement at his announcement of his wife turned to shock at her title.

"Lady?!" James blurted out. "But that means... What happened to us?" Lily recovered a little more eloquintly and promptly smacked him on the shoulder. This jostled baby Harry who started crying.

"Be polite." Lily admonished, rocking baby Harry to soothe him. She turned to Fleur with a smile, "Welcome to the family dear. I'm sure you have already figured out that the Potter men can be a little impulsive."

"Oui," Fleur gave a little giggle flashing Harry an affectionate smile. "Zeir mouths tend to out pace zeir brains. Nym and I 'ave been working on eet with 'Arry."

"Nym?" Lily asked with a raised brow.

James, having waved to catch Harry's attention, mouthed the word 'French?' When Harry nodded, James gave him a discreet thumbs up while wiggling his eyebrows.

"Yeah, about that." Harry sheepishly responded to Lily. "Nym is my other wife, the Lady Black."

Almost simultaniously Lily blurted "Other wife?!" while James exclaimed "Lady Black?" They looked at each other before James turned back with, "I think there is a long story here and you should start at the beginning."

"Ok, but I think everyone should be here for it. Can other people come down here or just Potters?" Harry asked.

"As long as Lord or Lady Potter gives permission, others can come down here." James supplied. Fleur turned to head for the door, but Harry stopped her.

"I'll go get them." Harry turned. "I need a moment to myself anyway." he whispered before striding from the room. Fleur and the Potters fidgeted in the awkward silence which followed until James' curiosity got the better of him.

"So..." James began. "French?"

Fleur giggled softly. "Oui, I met 'Arry zree years ago when 'Ogwarts 'osted ze Triwizard Tournament."

"They brought back that blood bath?" James was incredulous.

"Oui," Fleur answered. "Alzough eet was not all bad. I did meet 'Arry 'oo, to my surprize, can resist my Allure. So eet ended up a good zing in ze end."

"Allure?" James perked up at that. "You mean Veela Allure?"

"Oui, my Grand-mere ees a full blooded Veela."

James's grin got even goofier to which Lily promptly swatted him again. Fleur giggled at this byplay as she heard Harry return with the others. She noted that Flintknife was now with them and the Goblin was peering around the room appreciatively. Harry led them over to where Fleur was waiting by the portrait and began the introductions with Ron, Hermione, and Flintknife. Then he introduced Nym.

"This is my second wife Nymphadora Potter" He ignored the dark look she shot him and quickly added "But we all call her Nym, the Lady Black."

"Nymphadora?" Lily asked. "Ted and Andi's little girl?" Nym just nodded.

"Not so little anymore." James observed then he turned a smile to Nym. "We visited with your parents a couple of times after Harry was born. He loved when you would change your hair color, it would entrance him every time."

"'E still loves to stare at 'er." Fleur sniggered. "Only now eet's not just 'er 'air."

Lily shook her head in amusement at Harry's flaming red face. It nearly matched the hair of his friend Ron. "Ok," Lily pressed on. "Now that introductions are over, I believe there are some questions which need answering."

With a resigned sigh, and much help from his wives and friends, Harry began recounting to James and Lily the tale of Harry Potter begining with Haloween night 1981. Nearly an hour later he finished with his marriage to Nym and Fleur. His tale finished, he turned to face two very angry portraits, and a crying baby Harry.

Even Flintknife was regarding Harry in a slightly different light. "A one thousand year old basilisk..." He trailed off dreamily.

"If those Sirius weren't already dead, I'd kill him!" Lily growled, her temper rising. "Running off after that no-good rat and leaving you with Hagrid?! And then Dumbledore leaving you with Petunia!"

"Now Lily, I'm sure Harry was perfectly safe with Hagrid. I mean, the guy is part Giant and really tough. He wouldn't have let any harm come to him." James tried to placate his wife while relieving her of baby Harry.

"Suuurrre no harm came to him." She responded, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "He just handed him over to Dumbledore who left him with those people! In spite of several of our other friends being much more qualified to care for him. No harm done, obviously."

"If you wanted, I could have Kreacher bring Sirius' portrait here. He actually asked to, but I don't think he realizes that there is a portrait of you here." Harry offered.

Lily stopped her grumbling, her fresh smile was positively malicious. "Yes, lets."

"Kreacher," Harry called and the ancient House Elf popped into the room.

"Master calls?" Kreacher bowed low, his attitude toward Harry and his wives greatly improved with their recovery of the Slytherin Locket.

"Bring Sirius' portrait here, but do not tell him which other portraits are here. Just that he will be comming to Potter Manor."

Kreacher grinned, nearly matching Lily's expression, before he popped out to Grimmauld Place.

James rolled his eyes before turning back to Harry. "So what is your next move?" He asked trying to redirect the conversation.

"We have two Horcurxes in hand, and two are destroyed. Once Fleur finishes figuring out the spells she found, those will join the two we've already gotten rid of." Hermione replied. "Also, we think we may have found a way to track Tom's remaining Horcruxes. We find the rest of them and remove them, make him mortal."

"Then I'm thinking small thermonuclear device." Harry growled. "I'm sure I can figure out how to erect a magical shield to contain it."

Nym smacked the back of his head, then offered an alternative. "We will lead him into a trap. I have a few contacts with the Muggle military who lost family to Death Eaters. All they need is one clear shot and his mellon will be a bloody stump."

Harry rubbed the back of his head. "We are still debating the finer points."

"Until then, we've got a bunch of Muggleborns we liberated and need to hide." Ron reminded everyone.

"Why are you liberating Muggleborns?" Lily interrupted to glancing between her son and Ron.

"We found one of the Horcruxes at a pureblood bigot's house. Turns out she had been kidnapping Muggleborns and turning them into cats because she thought they would make pretty cats." Harry explained, but stopped when Lily and James exchanged a knowing look.

"Let me guess, Dolores Umbridge?" James asked. When Harry nodded James looked to Lily. "How the hell did the Umbitch avoid Azkaban?" He looked back to Harry and the others. "She was doing the same thing to ex-boyfriends during the war. And she's no pureblood either, her father was a Wizard and her mother a Muggle."

Ron Snorted. "I would guess she was not a marked Death Eater and plead the Impreious."

Nym nearly laughed out loud. "Well she won't be doing that this time." At the Potters' confused look, Nym smirked. "Before the cats were turned back into people, they tore her throat out."

Lily and James looked shocked for a moment before they broke into large grins themselves. "Poetic," Lily noted.

At that moment Kreacher reappeared with the portrait of Sirius Black. Sirius was grinning wildly, looking around at the gathered treasures, until he saw the portrait next to Harry. His eyes locked with Lily's, and Sirius knew fear.

"Oh no." He groaned

"Black," Lily growled. Then she took off across the intervening portraits. Sirius bolted, with Lily in pursuit.

"Right, down to business." Harry turned to the Goblin. "Flintknife, I would like to commission the Goblins to rebuild Potter Manor. Make it a fortress, I want it to be able to withstand a seige by Zeus himself. Until then we will need some wizard tents, I don't think it is a good idea to keep these people in a Muggle hotel. They are more likely to get caught the more people are around."

"Especially Fudge. He would probably try to convince the others Muggles don't exist." Ron quipped.

"The foundations appear to be intact and in good condition for building on." The Goblin considered. "But it will be expensive, and it's not usually something the Goblin Nation would do. Just because we don't want it used against us." He got a crafty expression on his face before continuing. "Although I think for 200 million galleons we should be able to accommodate you."

"200 is quite steep." Harry disagreed.

"In Goblin construction of this nature we engrave runes on every stone. I can guarantee that the walls would even survive your thermonuclear explosion."

Harry thought for a moment before he countered. "75 million and I will use the Black and Potter family influence to get the Goblins seated on the Wizengamot."

There were gasps from multiple locations in the room. Flintknife just stared at Harry, stunned. He considered it for a moment before he had no choice but to shake his head. "Not sound enough. There is no guarantee that you will be on the winning side of this war. 100 million galleons and the basilisk carcass."

Harry's eyes narrowed, he had seen the Goblin's reaction to hearing of the basilisk. "It's a big carcass, the venom sacks alone should be worth several million galleons. I keep the skeleton, including teeth, and skin and pay 50 million galleons."

Flintknife considered for a minute before he countered. "50 million and you keep the skeleton."

"60 million, I keep the skeleton and skin, and you can have the shed skins."

"Done!" Flintknife grinned a sharp toothed grin.

"Done!" Harry echoed, then he grinned. "And let the Goblin Nation know that I'll still work on getting the Goblins and all other magical beings representation on the Wizengamot. Just something to keep in mind when Tom comes knocking." Flintknife nodded, shocked at Harry's move. Offering something as a deal that he was already going to do regaurdless? He was going to need to keep an eye on the young Potter and Black Lord.

"There is a painting of what Potter Manor looked like over by the family tapestry if it would help." James supplied, waving toward an older section of the personal belongings. James was slightly in awe of his son's negotiation with Flintknife. Not even James's father had been that successful negotiating with Goblins.

When Harry looked in the direction James indicated, he could just see a tapestry similar to the one in the study at Grimauld Place sticking out from behind a cabinet. As a group, everyone moved toward the tapestry. Flintknife quickly found the painting of the Manor and began scrutinizing it. Harry and the rest became engrossed in the tapestry. Tracing the myriad of spiderwebbed lines documenting the Potter family through the ages. None were really surprised to find ties to most of the Pureblood families. Nobody really even blinked when branches to the four founders of Hogwarts were discovered. It was Fleur's gasp which brought them all to one of the oldest portions of the tapestry and the name Peverell.

"Ignotus Peverell?" Fleur murmered.

"Peverell?" Nym echoed. "As in the Peverell brothers from the Deathly Hallows?"

"I've heard of that story." Hermione noted, confused. "It was in that book Dumbledore left me." Harry couldn't help but laugh at another thing Hermione found in a book.

"So what are the Deathly Hallows?" Harry asked once his laughing had subsided. Everone except Hermione looked at him in shock. "What? Remember, raised by Dursleys who hated magic?"

"Basically it is the story of three bothers who beat Death and were awarded his wand, invisibility cloak, and a stone for conversing with the dead." Nym summarized.

"Scholars believe ze story ees based on ze Peverell brothers Antioch, Cadmus, and Ignotus. Zey were said to 'ave really powerful magical items which inspired ze story." Fleur added.

"Fleur," Ron asked with a glance at Harry. "Do those scholars have a guess about which brother had the invisibility cloak?"

Fleur looked at Harry's stunned expression as well. "Ignotus."

"So you're telling me that my cloak is some mythical Death shroud?" Harry was incredulous. "Not bloody likely!"

"Mate, it fits." Ron gripped his shoulder as he explained. "Most invisibility cloaks burn out after a couple of months. Maybe a year tops. This was your dad's before you. I never gave it a thought, but it shouldn't still be working. Cloth doesn't hold the power necessary for it long."

Harry pulled free and began pacing. "So if my cloak is real, does that mean the other items are as well? What other families are descendants of the Peverells?"

Fleur looked at the tapestry and conjured a parchment. She touched Ignotus' name with her wand, whispering a brief spell before touching the parchment and repeating the spell. Two new family trees appeared on the parchment. One increadibly short (only one name) the other nearly as long as Harry's but with fewer branches.

"Well it appears zat Salizar Slytherin was descended from Cadmus' daughter. But Antioch's branch died with 'im."

Harry mind went into overdrive. Voldemort was descended from the Peverells as well, did he know of the legend? Then he got a sinking feeling in his stomach. He stopped where he stood and turned to Fleur.

"Any idea which Hallow was Cadmus thought to have?"

"'E is believed to 'ave 'ad ze resurrection stone. 'E died shortly after 'is wife died according zis." Fleur indicated the parchment. "Looks like 'is daughter was just in 'er teens."

"Sounds like someone else we know." Harry muttered. He looked up to see the others looking at him. Although Flintknife was trying to look like he was studying the painting of Potter Manor. "What, not me, I was talking about Tom. His mother died just after he was born. I was just wondering if it could be a family trend."

Fleur looked at the parchment, doing a quick skim. "Eet does seem zat most of ze line have died early. Even Salazar Slytherin did not live past Fifty."

"Ok, so if these items do exist." Hermione hypothesised. "That means the Elder Wand does too and its wherabouts are unknown."

"The wand would be almost impossible to track. According to legend it changes ownership each time it's owner is defeated." Nym shook her head. "It's called the Death Stick for multiple reasons."

"So it would likely have been owned by a powerful Witch or Wizard." Hermione reasoned, beginning to nibble on a strand of her hair. "Easy bet that they were famously powerful during their life."

"Oui, otherwise why would anyone want to defeat zem?" Fleur agreed. Hermione nodded while Harry groaned. Ron looked at his girlfriend.

"What are you thinking Hermione?" Ron asked.

"Probably that we need to go grave robbing." Harry sank into an nearby chair which groaned under his weight. Nym, Fleur, and Ron each gave him a confused look.

"Well it's obvious isn't it?" Hermione asked. "Who was the most renowned wizard for the past fifty years who just happened to defeat another renowned wizard? It's even on chocolate frog cards for goodness sake."

Nym smacked her forehead. "Dumbledore."

Severus Snape had a dilema, and Minerva McGonnagal was not helping. She was not very enthusiastic about his plan to protect the Muggleborns at Hogwarts, probably because of the method he wished to use. Replacing them with magicially created clones seemed, to him, an ideal solution. No soul, no feeling, no emotion, and no sentient thought. Just empty husks that only reacted as much as their creator allowed them to. It was ideal. They could do whatever they wanted to the clones and keep up the appearance of following Voldemort's orders without endangering the real people. But the Ministry had declared the creation of magical clones dark magic, which was the final word for the stern Scotswoman.

Yet she had not come up with an alternaive that would work as well, so she was participating under protest. The problem was where to hide the original people. Severus was sure Voldemort would be sending 'undesireables' to Hogwarts by the train load. All in anticipation that Severus would be using them as targets for training an army of killer Pureblood school children for Voldemort. Severus did nothing to dissuade this impression, partly because he thought that the more people Voldemort sent to Hogwarts, the fewer the Death Eaters would kill.

He turned back from his musing to face a frowning, stern faced Minerva McGonnagal who was seated accross the desk from him. Her disapproving scowl veritably burning all in it's path. Severus was about to begin trying to convince her again, when he felt three people cross the Hogwarts ward line. His eyes lost focus as he concentrated on the wards, listening to what they told him about who had entered and where they were.

"Potter and his wives are here." he muttered. That surprised Minerva enough to cause her scowl to drop. She had spent many years watching Albus communicate with the wards and knew what Snape had been doing.

"What on earth is he doing here..?" Severus' raised hand cut her off. Severus then went silent for several minutes, frustrating Minerva with the lack of information. Then his face split into a feral grin, a truly disturbing sight which actually frightened Minerva.

"So he figured it out did he?" Severus muttered barely loud enough for Minerva to overhear.

"Figured what out?" Minerva burst out. "Damnit Sev..."

"They hare moved into the castle. They seem to be heading toward Myrtle's bathroom."

"In the castle?! What if they cross the Carrows?" Minerva popped to her feet and, with surprising speed, rushed from the office after giving Severus a dark look. Severus allowed himself a slight smile before he too rose and left the room.

"Lord that was disturbing." Harry shuddered as they walked down the second floor corridor. They moved as quietly as they could, wands out and at the ready. School was still a week away, but the teachers would have already arrived to begin preparing the castle for the next school year. Nym, who was at point, turned to look over her shoulder at him.

"If it weren't for the grave robbing bit, I would almost feel like I were back in school. Sneaking down corridors past curfew..." Nym giggled a little before turning serious again. "Are we even sure that this is the legendary wand?"

"I don't know about being the Elder wand of the legend." Harry looked at the wand in his hand, before he shoved it into an inner jacket pocket. "But it is definitely not a normal wand. It gives me a strange feeling, almost an animosity. Like it would probably work for me to cast a spell, but not the best."

They were halfway down the corridor when Nym stopped suddenly. She grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him into a side door. They were followed closely by Fleur who pulled the door shut behind them. Harry quickly realized that they were in a broom closet, with barely enough room for the three of them to fit. Rather than train her wand at the door, as Harry and Fleur had, Nym turned and wrapped her arms around Harry. Startled, Harry turned to face her and was promptly snogged.

"Nym what are you doing?" Harry asked as they came up for air.

"Taking your mind off what we did. Why, didn't the famous Boy-Who-Lived ever explore any broom closets while he was at Hogwarts?" Harry blushed a little and Nym giggled. "No? Well, I think it's about time to complete your Hogwarts education. Wouldn't you agree Fleur?"

"Oui" Fleur breathed, her breath tickling his ear. Then she reached up and, with a gentle touch, turned his face to capture his lips in a searing kiss.

"See?" Nym gave Harry a mischievous grin as she sank to her knees.

Minerva arrived in the second floor corridor, to find it empty. Confused, she walked the length of the corridor before she doubled back, not seeing any sign of her quary. She stopped in front of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, thinking. Then she had a thought, one of Potter's wives was Nymphadora Tonks. Surely she wouldn't waste time and risk discovery to show Harry a broom closet would she?

Minerva shook her head and a smile crept over her normally stern visage. Who was she kidding, this was Nymphadora Tonks, of course she couldn't resist visiting her favorite spot with her new man. With purposeful strides, Minerva bore down on the broom closet half way down the hall.

-LEMON-

As Nym opened his trouser front, Fleur pressed into his side trapping his arm between them. Harry, not one to pass up an opportunity, snaked his hand into Fleur's pants. Fleur threw her head back and hissed as Harry's fingers found their target. Harry smirked at the reaction his teasing elicited from his wife. He may not have been the most experienced lover, but he had spent the last month learing the ins and outs of pleasing his wives. And as everyone at Hogwarts found out during the Tri-Wizard tournament, he is a diligent student when learning something important. Then it was his turn to groan as Nym found what she was looking for.

Harry gently caressed the back of Nym's head as it bobbed back and forth. But Fleur was having none of this gentle crap. Reaching her free hand down, she entwining her fingers with Harry's on the back of Nym's head, and pulled. Harry could feel Nym's moaned, his knees almost gave out at the sensation.

Then there were three distinct knocks on the door.

-LEMON END-

"Mr. And Mrs. Potters" Minerva hissed urgently through the doorway. "You need to get out of here."

"Just a moment." Came a half strangled voice from the other side of the door.

Minerva turned her back to the door and crossed her arms, tapping her foot impatiently. What were they thinking coming here? Two of her best students and another who, by all accounts, was just as talented. They should have known better than to come here in the current political climate. And being found in a broom closet no less. Absolutely no regard for the danger they were in.

Finally the door creaked open and she turned to confront three slightly shame-faced young people. Well maybe not shame-faced. In fact, much to Minerva's chagrin, Nym was wearing a self-satisfied smirk as she stood. Fleur too seemed to be pleased with herself. Only Harry seemed to be even remotely abashed, as he finished zipping up his pants.

"What are you thinking?" Minerva whisper scholded the three. "Don't you pay any attention to what is going on?"

""Well, when Harry told us that he had never been pulled into a broom closet while at school, Fleur and I decided we couldn't let that travesty stand." Nym told her with an absolutely strait face. Minerva's eye twitched.

"Actually Professor," Harry gave Nym a reproachful glare. "We were just going to the Chamber of Secrets to pick up a few things that belong to me. Only a Parseltongue can open the chamber, so we'll be safe enough there. We'll summon our House Elf and return home from there directly."

"House Elf?" Minerva blinked, could it really have been so easy to leave the chamber?

"Oui, as long as we are zere when we call 'im our Elf can go zere as well." Fleur explained.

"Fine, just hurry and get out of the hallway." Minerva shooed them toward Myrtle's bathroom.

"Indeed," spoke a voice from behind them. "Staying in the open is not conducive to self preservation. But then Potter never did display a penchant for self preservation. Just like his father."

'Shit.' Minerva cursed to herself as she turned to see Severus Snape coming down the corridor as though out for a morning stroll. Harry, with a low growl, instantly drew his wands and trained it on him. Nym and Fleur followed suit.

"Snape." Harry grated. "You killed him, and now you dare to replace him here?!" Harry's voice had risen nearly to a shout.

"I know it may be difficult for you, Potter, but at least try to not think with your wand for a minute. I only performed the task Dumbledore assigned me." Snape sneered before he snorted and looked Harry in the eye. "And his grand plan didn't even work. Sure he protected Draco from becomming the killer his father is, but it doesn't respond any better to me than it did before."

Harry looked at him, confused. What was Snape talking about? Dumbledore told him to kill him? And what didn't work any better for him? Harry's eyes widened, was he talking about the wand?

He continued, ignoring Harry's confusion. "You might be interested to know that a certain snake is currently at the Malfoy residence with only the Malfoys and LeStranges gaurding it. The Dark Lord is...unavailable." He then turned and continued down the hall. "There is a certain hyperactive House Elf who might be able to help you with that." He threw over his shoulder. Harry just stood there gobsmacked.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Well folks, I have finally completed the next chapter. This is just a primer for the next chapter really. There will be one scene in the next one which has gotten to be cliche in Potter fanfiction. But it is a useful way to tie up a couple of loose ends. Again I appologize for the lenght between updates and will endevor to not take so long for the next installment.

A/N: Update - Thank you for all of the kind reviews. I have updated a few typos which were pointed out in the comments.

As ever I do not own any of the Potterverse or any other recognizeable characters from other genre. Wish I did, but that is the way of things.

Chapter 8

"I've got a bad feeling about this." Fleur paced between the snake twined pillars supporting the roof of the Chamber of Secrets. Kreacher had arrived a few minutes ago with Flintknife in tow. The Goblin had reviewed the Basilisk carcass and was now outside of the chamber inspecting the shed skins.

"It's a trap." Nym called, her face morphed into a slightly fish like visage as she sat astride the fifty foot long carcass of Slytherin's Monster. Harry look at where she sat, swinging her legs back and forth, and shook his head.

"Nym, you've been watching too many movies." Harry then fixed her with a critical eye. "And must you sit on that thing?"

"But Harry, I like riding your Basilisk." She grinned impishly at his blush. "Besides, while I may watch a few movies you have to admit there is definitely something...fishy about Snape's convinient information." Nym replied, barely supressing a snicker at her pun. Harry just groaned.

"Perhaps." Harry thought for a moment. "But we need to check it out anyway."

"Are you getting any zoughts or impressions from 'im?" Fleur asked, tapping her forehead. Harry just shrugged.

"He is looking for something, and I think we can all guess what that is." He patted his jacket breast where the Eldar wand resided in an expanded inner pocket.

"Any impression of where he is?" Nym leaned forward to ask Harry quietly as Flintknife returned to the chamber. Harry shook his head.

"Well Mr. Potter, the skins and carcass are in better condition than I initially thought." Flintknife pulled out a sheaf of parchment and handed it to Harry. "In fact, the value will cover processing of the skeleton and skin in addition to the agreed cost of the new Potter Keep. Just sign on the indicated line and Gringotts will take care of everything."

Harry took the parchment and motioned Fleur and Nym closer before he began reading. Fleur scrutinized the agreement as Nym slid to the ground. "Everything appears to be in order." Harry agreed, Fleur nodding her agreement before he conjured a quill and ink. He laid the parchment against the basilisk carcass and signed his name.

"What would you like done with your portion of the carcass?" Flintknife asked as Harry handed the parchment back.

"I would like the skeleton mounted and hung in the trophy room of the keep once it is complete. The skin I would like made into armored cloaks, boots and gloves. As many complete sets as you can get from it."

Flintknife nodded before walking over to the carcass and placing a round token from his pocket onto the head. With a single word in Gobbledygook, the carcass was encased in a bright blue light then began to shrink and seemed to be sucked into the token. Flintknife picked up the token from where it fell on the chamber floor and turned back to Harry and his wives. He grinned at their flabbergast expressions.

"The surface of the token is slightly concave forming a pocket. Just a little summoning rune inscribed on the surface and an undetectable expansion charm. Instant carrying case. I already have the shed skins in their own tokens." Harry once again had to revise his thoughts about what was possible and what was not. Magic was bloody amazing.

"Kreacher, please take Flintknife back to Gringotts, then return to take each of us home." Harry instructed. Kreacher nodded and, once Flintknife lightly rested his hand on the Elf's shoulder, popped from the room. Harry exchanged a glance with Fleur and Nym before he made his way to the giant face of Salazar Slytherin.

"So any idea why I can not get any more information from Voldemort's link?" Harry resumed their earlier conversation as he began to inspect the stone face.

"Probably because eet was not an exchange, but more like a possession. Making eet a one way link." Fleur said after a moment. "Ze ancient Egyptians' link was two way since zey basically shared souls wit each ozer. Wit Riddle you do not share souls, eet is all one way."

"So Harry will only know what Tom wants him to?" Nym asked.

"Or what 'ee ees too emotional to keep to 'imself." Fleur added.

Harry was moving along the carved face, running his hands along the smooth contours as he listened. So he couldn't control what information he received from Tom. Hopefully he could prevent Tom from being able to pick any information from his brain. He continued along until he felt a miniscule depression. With a smile he whispered "$Open$" in Parseltongue. A section of the face started to slide inward to reveal a doorway.

"Wow," Nym drew her wand and walked over to the new door with Fleur. "Any idea what is in there?"

"Well, I got to thinking that if Salazar, and later Tom, used this room for anything more than a pet kennel maybe there might be something left here." Harry drew his Holly wand and led the way through the door. Inside they found what could only be described as a suite of rooms. They entered what appeared to be a siting room complete with fireplace, chair, and side table. There were two other doorways leading from this room. One door lead to what appeared to be the Basilisk's den as there were many bones scattered around the floor which appeared to be highly polished in the center, likely from centuries of the mighty serpent coiling around itself.

The second door led to a bed chamber. The bed was a large four poster canopy bed outfitted with emerald green bedding. Harry, Fleur, and Nym could all feel the heavy wards on the rooms to keep them clean and appearing as fresh as new. But there were no other visible items in the rooms aside from the furniture. Fleur began to cast around, looking for concealment enchantments.

"How are we coming with removing my unwanted tenant?" Harry asked as he started running his hands over the surfaces of the walls, looking for any other hidden doors. Fleur paused as she was raising her wand to start casting detection spells.

"Everyzing I 'ave found zo far requires zat ze person who's soul ees bound cast ze spell." Fleur sighed. "I am still looking for a spell which does not require both participants to be present, but 'ave not 'ad any luck."

Harry stopped and turned, seeing Fleur's dejected face he quickly crossed to where she stood. "Don't worry," he enveloped her in a hug as she buried her face in his shoulder. "We will find a way that's what we do. And if not, I will just have to transfigure Tom into a goldfish and keep him in a bowl." Fleur pulled back and looked into Harry's eyes. She gave him a smile before nodding and returning to her detection spells.

Kreacher returned to the curious sight of his Master and one of his mates feeling around on all the surfaces of the room while his Master's other mate was in the bedroom repeating her detection spells. Wondering what was happening, the old House Elf watched over Nym's shoulder for a moment in confusion. Finally he could wait no longer.

"Did Master or Mistress lose something?" Kreacher asked

Nym looked up from kneeling by the fireplace, making a comical sight. Harry glanced over before returning to where he was feeling along the wall. "No Kreacher, just looking to see if there is anything hidden in here." Kreacher blinked at Harry then looked around the room, fidgeting slightly.

"Did Master wish to return home now?"

Harry moved away from the wall with a sigh. "Not just yet Kreacher." They were comming up empty here and there were other things he had to do. Concentrating on his hyperactive friend, he called out "Dobby!" to the empty room.

A moment later another House Elf popped into Slytherin's study, dressed in a comical assortment of clothing, stockings, and hats. Kreacher stared with disdain at the hyperactive Elf who was now bouncing in place, eager to help the 'Great Harry Potter Sir'. Kreacher still couldn't accept Dobby's indecipherable (to Kreacher anyway) pride in being a 'free Elf'. Really, what self-respecting Elf would want to be free? Bereft of purpose, guidance, and a family to serve? It was indecent.

"Harry Potter sir!" Dobby squeaked. "What can Dobby do to help you? Perhaps you need me to clean your chambers? Dobby can see they are in desperate need of a good scrubbing." He looked around the room, positively drooling at the sight of all that dust and grime.

"No Dobby, I don't need anything like that." Harry assured, catching the small look of disappointment in Dobby's eye. "What I really need is information about the Malfoys."

"Dobby will help as much as he can." Dobby responded, pulling a rag from thin air and absently beginning to scrub at the mantel. "But much of what Dobby knew was removed from his mind when he was given clothes. It is part of the House Elf magic to prevent us from telling the secrets of our former masters." Dobby's cleaning had moved up the side of the fireplace mantel and he was now scrubbing the top of the mantel shelf.

"We just need to know if you can tell who is at the Malfoy home right now." Harry assured him, surpressing a sigh at the Elf's entushiasm for cleaning.

Dobby shook his head. "Dobby can not, but he would be able to if he were to go there." Dobby continued cleaning absently as he watched Harry expectantly.

"Could you take us there?" Nym, who had risen from her crouch next to the fireplace in fear of the Elf using her as a stool, asked.

"Of course Harry Potter's Missus." Dobby replied. "Dobby is an Elf, any house which allows Elves entry allows all Elves entry."

"Will we have any trouble with the wards once we are in the house?" Harry asked, relieved at Dobby's confirming head shake. "Alright Dobby, I want you to take Nym and I to the Malfoy home. Kreacher, you take Fleur back home but be ready to come to bring her, Ron, and Hermione if either of us calls for help." Dobby, Nym, and Kreacher nodded as Harry stepped over to Fleur to give her a farewell embrace.

"I don't zink so." Fleur replied stubbornly. "You may have improved greatly wiz our daily training sessions, but we still do not know who eez zere."

"Fleur this is just reconnaissance, I'll be fine with just Nym." Harry's hand rose to cup Fleur's chin and gently lifted her head to look in his eyes. "Besides, she knows her Aunts better than any of us."

Still unsure, Fleur finally relented and kissed both Harry and Nym for luck before Dobby took their hands and disappeared with a small pop. Her earlier bad feeling returning doubly strong, Fleur accepted Kreachers's hand and, with a forlorn look at where her spouses had disappeared, she was pulled along to Grimmauld place by Kreacher.

Harry stumbled slightly as popped into the night air with Nym and Dobby. Nym, surprisingly, was more graceful than he was on their landing. Lord he hated magical travel. When this was all over, he vowed to buy himself a car, possibly some classic rom the 1950's or something with bench seats in front and back. He would rather never apparate, port key, or flue again. With Nym's help, Harry regained his footing and looked around, wand at the ready. They were at the edge of a small copse of trees on a downward slope. A little further down the slope lay an imposing building whose only claim on the term home was that people lived in it. It rose three stories in the air and was easily as long as a professional Quiddich pitch.

Dobby looked toward the house and concentrated on it, seeming to almost look through it. "Dobby can see five inside." He told them quietly. "Bad Master and his wife with their son as well as the sister of Bad Master's wife and her husband." Dobby paused, frowning. "Dobby can not see into the basement, but Dobby feels something dark there." The little Elf gave a slight shudder. "It is not human."

"Tom?" Nym asked, glancing at Harry apprehensively.

Harry shook his head as Dobby looked at in confusion. "That is the name we use for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." Harry explained. "He is not here. One of the advantages of this." He tapped the scar on his forehead.

Nym grabbed his arm. "Ok, we have looked and we know there are two high level Death Eaters, along with two who are, for all purposes, imperioused, and one unknow. Although I don't think cousin Draco will exactly welcome you with open arms. Can we go now?"

Harry nodded, just like Snape had said. "Ok, we're going." They each took one of Dobby's hands. "Dobby, get us inside." Harry and Nym locked eyes then, but before she could protest Dobby took their hands and they were in the second floor hall of Malfoy manor. Harry glanced around, hearing low voices. He quickly identified the door the voices were coming from and stepped closer to listen.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Nym hissed in Harry's ear, leaning close.

"Eavesdropping, now hush."

"Why does he have to go searching for a weapon to use against Potter?" Harry could hear Draco complaining. "It's not like Potter is anything special. He wasn't even able to beat Snape when we were leaving Hogwarts last year."

There was a resounding smack accompanied by the sound of a chair crashing to the floor and a low, unfamiliar voice. "Never question the Dark Lord if you value your life." Harry assumed it was Rodolphus LeStrange.

"Brother-in-Law or not. Never strike my son again." The normally smooth voice of Narcissa Malfoy grated.

"Then you had best teach him to mind his betters." LeStrange replied. Harry backed away from the door.

"Kreacher." he hissed as quietly as he could. There was a muffled pop as Kreacher popped into the hallway with Ron, Hermione, and Fleur who had their wands drawn. They quickly looked around, alert for any danger. Seeing none, they relaxed slightly and looked at Harry.

"Snape was right, there are only the Malfoy's and LeStrange's here. I do not know where the snake is, but Dobby said he could sense something very dark in the basement." Harry was interrupted by the appearance of an emaciated looking House Elf.

"Who's you. What you's here for?" she looked from one to another with wide, slightly frightened eyes. "You"s not supposed to be here. Master will punnish Tippy!" she nearly screeched.

"Dobby," Harry called, thinking on his feet. "Take care of her. Kreacher, Ron, Hermione get downstairs and find that snake." He glanced to the door, wondering how long before the commotion caught the attention of the room's occupants.

"And wat ees eet you want us to do?" Fleur asked him.

Harry grinned, drew his wand, then turned and strode toward the door. Nym cursed and strode after him with Fleur.

Lucius heard his House Elf's raised voice from outside of the door to his study and had just risen from his chair as the door burst open. To say that seeing Harry Potter stride into his study surprised the older Malfoy would be an understatement. The smirk which adorned the youth's face only serving to infuriate Lucius more. He was so irate he barely registered his niece along with Potter's half-breed wife enter the room.

"Ah Lucy, long time no see." Harry drawled dismissively. Draco rose to his feet quickly but Harry was quicker. His wand leveled at the Malfoy scion who in turn went flying back into his chair.

"Now, now Draco manners must be observed and all. Here, let's take away your temptation." With that, Draco's wand flew accross the room into Harry's hand. With a smile, he turned to the LeStranges and elder Malfoys in the room, to stare straight down the wand of Lucius Malfoy.

"Well I can see where Draco gets his manners from." Harry deadpanned. Looking around the room, he noticed that Lucius and Rodolphus were the only ones who had drawn their wands on him. Bellatrix and Narcissa seemed content to observe the activities of the others. That is until Rodolphus barked at Bellatrix assuming the leadership of the group.

"Bellatrix help Lucius cover Potter. Narcissa, you cover the half-breed while I will cover my niece.

"I can feel the love Uncle." Nym snarked.

"What are you doing in my home Potter?" Lucius pressed, his wand steady on Harry.

"Just some family business Uncle Lucy." Harry quipped, Lucius'eyes bugged out.

"Family business?" he spluttered. "Uncle?! You are no family of mine! You are nothing more than the half-blood spawn of a blood traitor and a mudblood whore!."

"Lest we forget Uncle, I am also Lord Black. And married to your niece." Harry pointed out grinning at Nym. "And as Lord Black, I have some things to say about the treatment two of my House's treasures have been subjected to." Harry replied cryptically.

Lucius looked stunned. Of course he had some of the Black family heirlooms, they were wedding gifts and dowry items from his wedding to Narcissa. But they were well kept and safe, definitely not being mistreated in any way. Besides, they were now his property and no longer a concern of the Lord Black. Whoever that may be. Then Harry turned first to Narcissa and then Bellatrix, bowing to each in turn. Seemingly ignoring the fact that Lucius' wand was trained on him.

"Narcissa, Bellatrix." Harry rosed from his final bow and stood at his full height. "As Lord Black, I greet you and wish for you to know that your pleas have not gone unheeded."

Narcissa's breath caught in her throat. Could Potter really be talking about what she hoped he was? She had all but given up hope that the letters she and Bellatrix wrote so many years ago still existed. Much less that they would have been found and given to Harry. Bellatrix looked confused.

"By my authority as Lord Black," Harry continued. "I anul your marriage contracts."

Stuned silence filled the room at his declaration. Narcissa looked immensely relieved, boardering on the verge of breaking down. Lucius' face was pale, almost devoid of all color. Draco still sat against the wall where his chair broke under Harry's hex, drooling and glassy eyed. Rodolphus' face turned red in fury and he spun around to point his wand at Harry.

Bellatrix blinked.

A/N2: Next chapter - Bella unleashed. Picture Harley Quinn with a Gatling Gun.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Well, again I am updating after a long pause. The simple fact is that I do not have a whole lot of free time to write at the moment. Rest assured I will not abandon this story, even if it takes a month or more between updates. When I started this story, I had just been fired from my job and had time, as well as the first two chapters hand writeen out. Since September I have been employed, but now do not have as much time. Combine that with family and working on a house remodel and I get a couple of hours on Sunday and Saturday mornings to write at most.

Hopefully I have written the Bellatrix sequence here to satisfaction. Action sequences have always been one of my shortcomings.

I usually do not respond to negative reviews, but there is one I would like to address. I have been criticized for having Snape and Bellatrix possibly redeemed. One thing Ido not remember having seen in J.K.'s writing is HOW to become a Death Eater. Although it is implied with Draco's receiving his mark in sixth year that it can be given as a 'reward' for services. That is the position I have taken with my story. Nowhere have I read other than in fan fiction that a person had to rape, murder, pillage, and burn to become one.

That said, I do not own any of Harry Potter or other recognizable characters. So please, enjoy my flight of fancy into J.K.'s world.

Chapter 9

Stunned didn't even begin to cover it. After all of these years she was finally free? Or was it too good believe? She wouldn't know until she tried to disobey Rodolphus, and she was quite familiar with the consequences of that. But Potter was here, and she could clearly see the Black family ring on his finger. How had he gotten the letter though? She couldn't remember actually sending it to Sirius, she wrote it on the night before the wedding and hadn't been able to.

Lucius' short laugh of contempt brought Bellatrix out of her reverie. "Think you're a commedian Potter?" Contempt oozed from Lucius' voice. "I know for a fact that neither Narcissa nor Bellatrix have contacted you to be released from their marriages." He raised his chin with a haughty air. The fact that he knew both wives were forbidden from contacting anyone on this subject giving him confidence.

Harry smirked. "Oh they didn't contact me. I am just fulfilling the wishes of the late heir Black."

"Sirius." Narcissa wispered before turning to Harry and asking "He got the letters?" Bellatrix turned to stare at her sister when she heard that.

"I found your letter while I was packing your things away." Narcissa explained at her sister's questioning gaze. She turned her wand on Lucius. "Our parents had just finalized the marriage with Lucius at your reception. I knew you didn't want to marry Rodolphus just like I didn't want to marry Lucius. But after Andromeda ran away our feelings were ignored. I found your letter to Sirius, thought it was a wonderful idea, and sent it to him along with my own."

"Enough of this!" Rodolphus roared and turned to throw a curse at Harry. Harry didn't know what it was, and luckily he didn't find out as the sickly, baby puke green colored spell crashed into a silvery shield even as Harry dove to the side to avoid it. Looking up, he saw the startled looks on Rodolphus and Lucius' faces. He also saw the satisfied look on Bellatrix's face as she lowered her glowing wand, stoping the shield she had created.

"Stand down Bellatrix." Rodolphus ordered, but this time something was different in his voice. It was no longer as self-assured as it had been. There was an undertone of uncertainty, desperation even. And Bellatrix knew why. This time, when Rodolphus commanded her, there was no compulsion to do it. She was finally and truly free, and she knew it. She began with a low chuckle that steadily grew in force. Then with a negligent flip of her wand, she rocketed a banishing curse at Rodolphus. The curse caught him in the chest and launched him through the air and into the wooden door behind him. Which he promptly crashed through. Bellatrix lowered her wand with a content sigh before crossing the room to daintily pick her way through the ruined doorway, with a smile on her face.

"Oh, did Rudy get a boo-boo?" Bellatrix's sweeet voice drifted from the next room. Then her tone turned hard. "Here, let Bella help."

Rodolphus' agonized roar paid testament to Bellatrix's ministrations being anything but pleasent.

Stunned silence reigned for all of five seconds before Lucius began throwing his own curses. But Harry was ready. He shielded Fleur from a blasting hex even as he dove to avoid the severing charm sent his way. Fleur, shaken from her stunned thoughts, responded with her own blasting hex. Lucius dodged Fleur's spell, only to be clipped by a curse from Narcissa which launched Lucius over his desk and crashing into his chair.

"Narcissa, go with Bellatrix and keep her from getting in too much trouble. Nym, go with her." Harry was pulled up short before he could go any further.

"No! Lucius is mine!" Narcissa growled, keeping her wand on the desk.

"Fine then," Harry relented. "Fleur, go with Nym. Try to keep Bellatrix out of trouble."

-Violence Warning-

Fleur and Nym caught up with Bellatrix in the next room. She spun, wand at the ready, when they came up behind her. Rodolphus seized the opportunity to break away from his ex-wife and flee into the hallway. Rodolphus knew precicely how powerful Bellatrix was. It was one of the reasons he had approached the Blacks about a marriage years ago. It was also why he insisted the wedding vows binding her to his will. As long as she was his wife, she couldn't turn against him. But now Potter had taken that safety away.

Bellatrix gave them a grin and skipped out the door following Rodolphus into the hall. Fleur and Nym exchanged a startled look before they followed her out the door. Once in the hall, she leveled her wand at the retreating form of Rodolphus. Suddenly, with a rapid stucatto report, her wand started spitting curses like a Kalashnikov. Nym and Fleur weren't sure what to think of the look of pure glee on Bellatrix's face as she unleashed such destruction. Rodolphus tried to shield and dodge, but the amount of curses was overwhelming. He dove into a nearby room.

"What the hell was that?!" Nym asked, gaping at Bellatrix.

"Hmm?" Bellatrix glanced at her niece, slightly distracted. "Oh, it's just an old Black family spell, Balista Barrage. Didn't your mother teach you any of the family spells?" Bellatrix tutted when Nym shook her head. "I knew that spell by the time I started Hogwarts. I will have to have a long talk with dear Andromeda, Lady Black should know all of the family spells."

While Bellatrtix swaggered down the middle of the hallway, Fleur and Nym advanced slowly along the walls keeping to the scant cover of the hall tables and doorways. "Oh Ruuudeee," Bellatrix called in a sing song voice. "Come out and playyyyyy."

Nym glanced briefly into each doorway she passed before finally stopping with her head slightly tipped in confusion. There was Dobby, kneeling astride the Malfoy House Elf, one hand holding both of the Malfoy elf'sf hands over it's head while the other hand was attempting to cover it's mouth. Dobby winced as the other elf bit down on his hand in an attempt to get loose. Bellatrix stepped next to Nym and grinned as she got an idea.

"There you are Chienne!" Bellatrix chided the Elf Dobby had pinned, as if dissapointed that she had to look for the elf. "Be a dear and bring up the Anti-Apparition wards. We almost have everything contained, but don't want anyone to escape or bring in backup."

Looking confused, the Elf nodded and snapped it's fingers. Nym felt the tell-tale shiver of wards being raised travel up her spine. She looked to the side at her Aunt, raising an eyebrow.

"Can't have anyone interrupting our fun now can we?"

"'Chienne?!'" Fleur exclaimed when Bellatrix and Nym rejoined her in the hall. "That Elf is literally named 'Bitch?"

Bellatrix shrugged. "Lucius' idea of how to keep them in their place. As soon as he got the poor thing he changed her name."

They continued to the door through which Rodolphus fled to find it locked. Bellatrix sighed and stepped back to sweep her wand toward the door. It smashed inward as though hit with a massive hammer. Bellatrix followed with a shout of "Turben!" and a light blue spell sped through the dust and falling debris. It was like the very air was pulled from the hall and into the room, this sensation was accompanied by crashes and cursing from inside the room. Nym looked in through the doorway and saw a swirling mass of air, dust, and detritus in the center of the room.

"It's a spell that creates a miniature tornado." Bellatrix told her.

"Yes, I know." Nym replied. "Mother taught me this one."

"So your education hasn't been completely ignored." Bellatrix grinned at her.

Finally there was the sound of a detonation from the intersecting hall. Fleur peered around the corner in time to catch sight of Rodolphus stumbling through a hole in the wall. He limped unsteadily toward the main stairway, clutching his left shoulder where an arm used to be.

Bellatrix had seen him blast through the wall and stopped her spell. She calmly walked into the room through a swirling cloud of dust heading for the hole in the wall Rodolphus had made. Nym entered the room in time to see her Aunt bend down and daintily pick up the mangled remains of the missing limb.

"One piece at a time." Bellatrix commented, wrinkling her nose in disgust, before negligently tossing the offending appendage into the corner of the room. "Ooh that gives me an idea." She clapped before looking down at her dress. "Oh poo, I got some Rodolphus on my skirt."" She pouted, holding the section of offending fabric out to study it.

"'E ees 'eading for ze stairs." Fleur called through the gaping hole in the wall. Bellatrix dropped her skirt before leading Nym through the remains of the wall.

Looking down the hall at the retreating Rodolphus, Bellatrix lifted her wand arm over her head and started moving her wand in slow circles. "Here is another Black family spell. Perussi..." Bellatrix began the incantation as the shadows all down the hallway began gathering toward the end of her wand. "Per...Noctem!" With the final shout, Bellatrix trust her wand toward her retreating ex-husband. A jet of pure darkness shot down the hallway and engulfed Rodolfus from behind. He started screaming immediately, wet tearing sounds accompanied the screams.

"Consuming Night." Bellatrix lectured clinically. ""The shadows are tearing him apart strip by strip. Finite!" The shadows dispelled to reveal a quivering, red mass crumpled atop the stairs landing. "And now for something one of our ancestors taught to Vlad Tepes. First levatate the subject so the feet are off the ground." A quick swish and flick of her wand saw the moaning Rodolfus lifted into the air. "Then 'Perfigo'!" Upon this declaration, a spear of stone burst through the floor to impale Rodolfus from nuts to nose.

Bellatrix grinned at Nym's shocked, slack jawed expression. "Time to see how my sister and your husband are faring." She turned and started walking back down the hall toward the study where Narcissa and Harry were confronting Lucius. She stopped as she noticed that Nym and Fleur were not following her.

"'E ees still alive..." Fleur exclaimed in a half strangled voice as Rodolphus let out a pain filled moan..

"Oh yes." Bellatrix confirmed. "The spell will keep him alive for seven hours."

"Why?" Nym's disgust was evident.

"Object lessons." Bellatrix shrugged and turned back down the hall. "Now he knows what it's like having something shoved down your throat without consent. Besides, if you kill them too quickly nobody will learn anything."

-End of Violence-

Ron and Hermione descended the stairs into the manor's basement which could only be considered a dungeon. They followed Kreacher deeper into the depths of the cavernous room at the bottom of the stairs. Various noises came from deeper in the forboding darkness. Sounds of rustling and scraping greeted them, coming from just outside of the light from Ron's wand. He felt Hermione slip her hand into his free one. He looked down into her upturned face and she gave him a tremulous smile. Just before they both nearly jumped out of their skin as a soft voice came from the darkness.

"Who's there?"

"Luna?" Hermioine queried, her fist clenching her robe over her heart trying to catch her breath.

"Hermione, is that you?" Luna walked forward into the light of the wand. Hermione gasp at her appearance; her clothes were in tatters, her hair was tangled and matted with dirt which also covered her face.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked the blonde, rushing forward to engulf the girl in one of her patented bone crushing hugs.

"They didn't like daddy supporting Harry in The Quibbler so they took me." Luna shrugged, her previous, vivacious personality all but a memory. "I guess the only reason I'm not dead is that Daddy and I are pureblooded. It wouldn't look good for them to kill us even if we oppose them."

Hermione shook her head as she began to use her wand to clean Luna up. When she was done with her cleaning charms, she began to mend Luna's clothes which were is such condition as to border on obscene. It took her a few minutes to complete her work, during which Ron had moved further into the room. Hermione, with Luna, walked over to where Ron's light had stopped again. They found him kneeling beside an old wizard seated against the wall whose hollow cheeks and generally shrunken features bespoke his harsh treatment. His tired eyes turned to regard the newcomers, and Hermione gasp as she recognized the wand maker Olivander.

"They brought him here at the beginning of summer." Luna told them as she sat next to Olivander, allowing the tired old man to lay his head on her shoulder. "The Dark Lord searched his mind daily for months."

"Let's find that ruddy snake." Ron stood. "The sooner that is done, the sooner we can get everyone out of here." He turned and looked to Kreacher. "Well?"

"Dark One's pet is close, it is watching." The old Elf gestured off to Ron's left. Ron and Hermione exchanged a glance before they both turnedin the direction Kreacher indicated.

"Incendio." Hermione set one of the stone columns supporting the massive barrel vaulted ceiling alight.

"There!" Ron shouted, just catching movement behind another column. "Reducto!"

Ron's curse glanced off of the skin of Nagini as the giant snake slithered deeper into the dungeon. Hermione's own cutting curse was just as useless. Ron and Hermione continued to alternatly attack the snake as they drove it back deeper into the darkness.

"Blasting curses!" Hermione called to Ron. "Together on three. One, two, three!"

Together Ron and Hermione shouted "Bombarda!" Pushing as much magic into their curses as they could. Again the curses just glanced off of the snake, but when they hit the columns to either side things changed. With a low rumble which built into a deafening roar, the weakened columns gave way. Steadily more and more of the vaulted ceiling collapsed onto the hapless snake, along with a considerable amount of the manor above. Ron, having been in a cave-in before, hastily erected a shield as he and Hermione retreated back to Luna and Olivander.

Suddenly the noise of the collapse was overwhelmed by an inhuman screech. Ron looked toward the collapsed section of the basement and saw the horrible visage of Riddle rising from the rubble. His smoky face contorted with rage, the image was soon lost in billowing clouds of dust.

Slowly the noise subsided as the collapse stopped. Ron stood and surveyed the destruction. "Blimey" he muttered before extending his hand to Hermione to help her stand. They both looked at the pile of rubble piled against Ron's shield. With a relieved sigh, they set about helping Luna with Olivander. It was past time for them to get out of here

-.

Harry dodged another book thrown by Draco, then another curse from Lucius. Narcissa immediately fired a blasting curse at Lucius' head, causing him to duck back behind the desk. Shortly after Nym and Fleur left to follow Bellatrix, Draco had come to. Apparently the noise caused by his mother and father exchanging curses had roused him. Having been disarmed, he started throwing the closest thing to hand, books, to help his besieged father. Of course he wouldn't dare throw anything at his mother, but Harry was a different matter altogether.

"Sit down and stay out of it!" Harry roared at the younger Malfoy and threw an Incarcerous. It connected and Draco found himself bound on the floor.

Lucius tried to take advantage of the distracted Harry, but Narcissa kept his head down with another severing spell. This gave Harry the opening he needed to try to flush out Lucius. Harry's Bombarda collided with Lucius' desk with great effect. In a shower of splinters, paper, and ink wells half of the desk was destroyed. The blast threw Lucius clear of the desk rubble.

As he hit the ground, Narcissa took aim and cast "Sectumsempra."

But Lucius was faster. With a triumphant yell of "Avada Kedavra!" an emerald green curse was sent streaking toward Harry.

Unfortunately for Harry, the world took that moment to literally move. His footing disappeard as the house shook furiously. Unable to dodge, he could only stare into the stricken eyes of Nym who had just re-entered the room with Fleur and Bellatrix.

There was a scream of "No!" from his wives, then blackness.

Lord Voldemort raised his wand, leveling it at the old wand maker cowering before him. A malicious grin split his thin lips causing a truly frightening visage. He savored Gregorovitch's terror for a moment more before he began to encant those dreaded words. Gregorovitch squeezed his eyes tight shut, not wanting to watch his own immenent demise.

"Avada..." Voldemort's voice, which started strong, cut off as if strangled. Gregorovitch opened his eyes to an unbelieveable sight. Voldemort stood straight backed, his wand had fallen from his limp hand and his eyes rolled back in his head. His lip was twitching and he appeared completely incapacitated. Gregorovitch didn't need a written invitation. With a speed belying his age, he scrambled toward the door, only hindered by the puddle at his feet.

"Mr. Potter. I've been expecting you..."


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Well another update, sorry it is so late. There were a couple of places I had some difficulty with. I would like to again thank everyone for the comments and suggestions. Your responses mean much to me, and I value the input.

I think I'll swing Bellatrix between somewhat chlldish and fully rational. Appropriate for someone who has been traumatized.

Warning: There is mention of rape in this chapter, no details but some context is given.

I do not own Harry Potter or any other publically recognizeable characters or places. Wish I did.

A/N 2: For some reason my chapters have not been retaining their formatting when I post them. Trying to update that again to show scene divisions, hopefully it holds.

Chapter 10

"No!" Fleur and Nym screamed in unison as they watched the bolt of green light streak toward Harry. As Lucius' killing curse struck Harry Narcissa's Sectumsempra curse hit Lucius, they crumpled to the ground together. Fleur and Nym rushed to the still form of their husband where they collapsed on either side of him. Narcissa wearily walked over to Lucius. She looked down at her ex-husband as he lay bleeding on the once fine carpet he had obsessed over.

"At least I got rid of the brat." Lucius smirked, his body shook as he bagan to cough up blood.

Bellatrix looked over the scene before her with a disappointed air and sighed. "Well, that's disappointing."

* * *

"Mr. Potter, I've been expecting you." A deep, melodious voice roused Harry. He found himself lying on a hard surface which, surprisingly, was not cold. In fact he felt extremely comfortable, almost as if cold and hot simply did not exist. He slowly opened his eyes, only to nearly be blinded. Sitting upu, Harry quinted around, he could see he was in what appeared to be a solicitor's office. A desk and chairs stood in front of one wall while an enormous book case stretching the length of another. It would have fit in with any non-magical law firm, except everything was blindingly white, and there were no door or windows.

Trying to think, Harry began to piece together in his mind what had happened. The last he remembered was looking into his wifes' eyes as the bright emerald green of Lucius' killing curse streaked toward him. So that meant he was dead. He had already survived the killing curse once, but that was because his mother sacrificed herself to protect him. It wasn't very likely that the protection would work a second time. Besides it was Lucius who had cast the spell, not Voldemort.

"Do get up and take a seat, we have much to discuss and are pressed for time." The same voice as before called him, though this time there was a hint of impatience. Harry finally took notice of the other person in the room. Sitting at the desk was a pale man dressed in a neat white suit. His elbows were resting on the desk, his fingers steepled in front of his face. There was a stack of papers at his left hand, and a jar containing...something at his right.

Harry rose from the floor and walked over to take a seat in front of the desk, accross from the man. Now that he was closer, he could see what appeared to be a human fetus floating in the jar. He recoiled slightly, causing the man to smirk.

"Does our other guest bother you?" Harry shook his head, but kept his eyes on the jar. "Well, we'll talk about him in a moment. Now Harry, you are probably wondering where you are."

"I'm dead." Harry responded shortly. "I got hit with the killing curse, so I'm dead. My only question is who exactly are you?"

"Ah yes, that is a question with an interesting response. I guess you could say that I am no one and everyone." The man replied, and his features morphed to show the faces of several different people before returning to the non-descript features he first had. "I am the embodiment of death. All who have passed from your world make up what I am."

"Even my parents, and Sirius?" Harry asked hopefully.

"Yes but we can talk about that later, if there is time. There are a couple of things to discuss first and then you have a decision to make." He gave Harry a penetrating gaze for a moment. "How much do you remember of what Albus Dumbledore told you about Tom Riddle's soul anchors?"

"That he can't pass on while they are intact, and that Tom made six of them in order to have a seven part soul." Harry supplied. "We identified three of them, two of which have been destroyed. And we worked out the likely identities of two more. We guessed that the final one belonged to either Rowena Ravenclaw or Godric Gryfindor, but weren't certain."

"Good, and since Albus died, what have you figured out?"

"With my friends' help, we figured out that the final Horcrux is most likely Rowena's diadem. Probably hidden somewhere in Hogwarts."

"Excellent," A sly smile formed on Death's face. "You are on the right track. While the thoughts of the snake horcrux and the other portions of Tom's soul which have already been sent to me are disjointed and incomplete, I can confirm that the cup and diadem are in fact the final two horcruxes."

"So Ron and Hermione did it then?" Relief surged through Harry. "They got the snake. But why even bother telling me we were right about the rest?" Harry asked, irritated now. "I'm dead, nobody comes back from the dead. So it does no good telling me what I was right or wrong about."

"Well, you are partially right." If it had been anyone other than Death, Harry would have sworn that his smile turned compassionate. In fact it reminded Harry eerily of Dumbledore. But Death wasn't supposed to be compassionate or understanding. Was he...it...whatever? "Yes Harry, nobody can come back from the dead. But you are not truly dead yet. Tell me, do you know how the Avada Kedavra curse works?"

Harry blinked at the unexpected question. "I..I don't know. We didn't discuss how it worked in school, only that it was instant death."

"Let me give you a hint, it is very dark and advanced soul magic." The way Death said it, Harry was reminded again of Dumbledore.

"Soul magic?" Harry thought for a moment. "So if it is soul magic used for killing, then I guess it separate your soul from your body."

"Correct Harry, very intuitive. Yes, the Avada Kedavra curse kills it's victims by seperating the soul from the body. Which brings us to our other guest." Death waved a hand at the occupant of the jar on his desk. "Tell me, what does this remind you of? Take a good look."

Harry looked closely at the fetus like thing for the first time. The shape of the thing reminded him of something from some alien movie. It's arms were long and skinny, head impossibly large, and the red eyes were filled with hate. He knew those eyes, they haunted his dreams and memories.

"Riddle?" Harry asked in shock.

"Yes." Death answered simply. "He did more than give you some of his abilities when his body was destroyed. He left a part of his soul embedded in your scar that night."

Harry felt dirty, violated. This thing had lived in him for sixteen years, what had it done to him? How would his personality have developed without this unwelcome inhabitant of his self.

"I was a horcrux too? But it looks so small." Harry peered at the disgusting, misshapen thing that was Riddle's soul. He picked up the jar for a closer look, then shook it.

"Yes, that is because of how many pieces of his soul he has hidden away." Death retrieved the jar from Harry. "Your wife was right, the more horcruxes he creates, the smaller the remaining portion of his soul. Actually, his soul is now do divided that any additional horcruxes he would attempt to create would fail. The snake was his final one." Harry looked at the jar again, thinking.

"If his soul is so shattered, how is he still so damn powerful?" Harry asked.

"Ah, yes. He has done many rituals to increase his power, including his horcruxes themselves." Death held the jar containing Voldemort's soul piece up to regard it. "They act like power syphons when placed in powerful magical items, such as yourself. That is another reason he sought items from the founders of Hogwarts. Each had it's own internal power." Death leveled a steady gaze at Harry.

"So he's been leeching off me?" Harry was incredulous. "I didn't shake the damn jar hard enough." He muttered under his breath. Death chuckled.

"Be that as it may, we have strayed from your original question. The fact of the matter is that since you were a horcrux, your body housed two souls." Death set the jar back on the corner of his desk. "Because of this, there is a choice to make. You can die and pass to the afterlife to be with your parents. Or you can return to your body, in which case the curse will harvest the soul of the horcrux."

"But if I pass on won't the horcrux just take over my body?" Harry asked, confused.

"No, because without your soul in your body it is not complete. Because the container is not as complete as when the horcrux was created, the horcrux will not return to the vessel." Death leaned forward with his elbows on the desk, his hands steepled in front of him.

"Well there really is no choice to make. I can't leave my friends and family to deal with Tom by themselves." Harry declared glaring at Death, insulted that the being thought he would even consider a different decision.

"Very well then." Death rose, a staff appearing in his hand as his clothing went from pure white to darkest black. "When you return you will find that you have more...capability than before." Death's voice changed with his clothing, becoming more resonant and daunting as his clothes became darker. "Not only has the leech of the horcrux been removed, but you will now have full control over the three hallows. Beware, as the power of the three combined could be addictive."

"What?" Harry asked, rising from his chair and backing away from the desk."What do you mean I will control the hallows?"

"You already had two, although you may not be aware of it. Now you have defeated the owner of the wand. And because the Avada Kedavra did not kill you, it did not pass from your ownership but rather strengthened it." Death's face became enshrouded in shadow as a hood formed over his head. All Harry could see were the eyes which were glowing the same green as the killing curse. The same emerald green as his own eyes. His staff sprouted a curved blade of glowing emerald flames at the top. "Now Mr. Potter, our time has come to an end."

"But I didn't beat Snape. And what about talking to my parents..." Harry began, but Death ignored him.

"Severus Snape never controled the Elder Wand. Farewell Mr. Potter our time is over." Death swung his staff with both hands, and impaled the soul shard in the jar. Harry felt a searing pain in his forehead, then darkness took him again.

* * *

"What do you mean, 'disappointing'?" Tonks snarled at her Aunt, surging to her feet to confront her even as tears of grief still fell. The outburst drew the attention of everyone in the room from the still form of Harry Potter. "He only came here because of you and Narcissa!" Despite her grief, Tonks had enough wits to not let slip about their other objective.

"Typical Gryffindor. Never think things through before jumping in over their head." Bellatrix snorted disdainfully. "Did he at least get you two pregnant to continue the Potter and Black lines?"

Nym and Fleur's faces burned scarlet, although from outrage or embarassment was open to debate. Lucius tried to laugh, leading to another coughing fit and more blood on his lips. Nobody seemed inclined to try healing the dying man.

With an inarticulate roar Nym hurled a cutting curse at her aunt, which Bellatrix negligently batted away. Nym continued to throw Incarcerous, Bombarda, and Diffindo spells at Bellatrix, however the spells were easily batted away easily. Bellatrix yawned as if bored with the exchange of spells.

"Really Nymphadora, if this is the best you, a trained Auror, can do it is no wonder the Death Eaters won." Bellatrix taunted

"Won?" Nym was shocked. "I don't remember surrendering." Nym growled back.

"What else would you call it? They control the government, the press, and the schools. Sounds like they won to me." Bellatrix shrugged

Something seemed to snap in Nym and she started pushing more power into her spells while the spell content bacame darker. Bone Breakers, Entrails Expelling curses, and a Bone Vanishing curse she remembered Harry telling her of when he recounted his second year at Hogwarts were soon flying at Bellatrix. Again she just batted the spells to the side causing Draco to scramble out of the way of a rebounded cutting curse in order to protect the future of the Malfoy line.

"Marginally better." Bellatrix deadpanned. "Let me show you how to do it though. Solidum caeli!" Bellatrix called, pointing her wand at Nym.

Suddenly Nym couldn't breath, it felt like she was trying to chew the air. She fell to her knees, gagging on her own last breath. Bellatrix grinned.

"When you can't hit your opponent directly, target the environment around them. Make them fight the air they breath or the ground they stand on. Wear them out then you can do what you want with them."

Before she could take advantage of Nym's incapacity to send another spell her way, they were interrupted with a shouted "Finite Incantartum!"

Nym dropped forward to her hands and knees, gulping large lungfulls of air as Bellatrix's spell abruptly ended. Bellatrix looked away from her niece to see the impossible. Harry Potter, wand in hand, was struggling to a sitting position. He groaned and wobbled a little before raising his hand to his forehead. "Whoa, head rush. Anyone catch the number of that bus?" Fleur, openly gaping, mutely pointed to where the prone form of Lucius Malfoy lay having been the only one to understand the reference.

"Arry?" Fleur breathed. Not believing her eyes she reached out a hand to touch him, surprised when it met with warm flesh. Harry smiled before being engulfed in a bone crushing hug.

"I'll explain later, once we're home." He whispered in her ear. He felt her nodd her head through his now damp shirt.

Finally, with assistance from Fleur, Harry slowly stood up. Disengaging from his wife, he made his way over to the elder Malfoy. When he finally stood over the stricken man, Lucius' eyes nearly left their sockets as what little color was left in his pallid face vanished. Somewhat shakily Harry knelt down beside him.

"Nice try Lucy." Harry drawled conversationally. "I'd wish you better luck next time, but there won't be a next time."

"No!" Lucius groaned, barely audibly, through blood covered lips. "It can't be. Why can't you just die."

"I'm just that good." Harry couldn't resist making the blonde's last moments on Earth miserable. With a final blood spattered, wheezing cough, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy was no more.

Harry rose and, with Fleur, walked back toward Nym, still on hands and knees gaping at him, and Bellatrix.

Bellatrix was looking at Harry with renewed interest. "Things just got interesting again" she almost cooed.

Harry helped Nym to her feet just as Ron and Hermione, followed by Luna supporting a frail Olivander, entered the study. Nym examined Harry like she was inspecting a show horse.

"Harry," Nym asked quietly. "You're really ok?"

"More or less. Just..." Harry began. Then she cuffed him on the ear

"What the Bloody Hell was that?!" Nym lit into him. "Cheating death once not good enough for you? Just had to take another killing curse?" Harry winced, hearing a gasp from Hermione.

"Not really cheating death this time." Harry replied, rubbing the rapidly purpling side of his head. "Apparently mastering death. But I did get rid of my unwanted tennant" Harry tapped his forehead at Nym's questioning gaze. "I'll explain at home, in private. Speaking of, I think it's time to go home before we have any more unwanted excitement."

"What are we gonna do about this lot?" Ron gestured to Bellatrix, Narcissa, and Draco. "I don't much fancy taking them with us and risking a curse in the back. But we can't just leave them here to possibly help Tommy."

Confusion was evident on several faces at Ron's choice of name use. Apparently Voldemort didn't clue his followers, even Bellatrix who had been one of his most trusted, into his true background. Harry looked around the ruined room and sighed. Ron was right, he couldn't just leave Narcissa, Bellatrix, and Draco here. Even if they didn't support Voldemort, he would find a way to use them for his own ends.

"Ok." Harry announced to the room. "We're leaving and you are all coming with us. Kreacher, Dobby!" Harry shouted over Draco's protests. Oddly enough neither Bellatrix nor Narcissa objected. The two house elves popped into the room, Dobby still entangled with the poorly named Mallfoy elf, Chienne.

"We are heading back to the Chamber. Everyone here is coming with us, no exceptions." Harry fixed Draco with a glare that quelled the new Lord Malfoy. You just don't argue with someone you watched seemingly raise themselves from the dead. "Three at a time, Draco with Luna and Olivander, Ron and Hermione with Narcissa, Bellatrix with Fleur, Nym, and I. We'll discuss further options there." Kreacher bowed while Dobby tried to disentangle himself from Chienne.

* * *

Harry looked around the sitting room of Salazar Slytherin's private chambers and couldn't help but sigh. The occupants of the room, after the initial awe of seeing the Chamber and then being in Slytherin's private chambers, had settled into three groups. First was Harry's group consisting of Hermione, Nym, Fleur, Ron, and Harry. Then there was the Slytherin group of Narcissa, Bellatrix, and Draco who sat accross the room, glaring at Harry's group. Finally there was Luna and Olivander who, being the worst for wear, was sitting in the chair near the fireplace. Dobby and Chienne were gleefully scrubbing walls and floors under the watchful eye of Kreacher who promised to rein in the enthusiasm of the unger elves.

Once everyone had arrived, the first thing Harry had been obliged to explain was the use of the name Tom when refering to Voldemort. Needless to say, his revelations were met with disbelief from Narcissa and Draco, thoughtfulness from Bellatrix, and surprisingly no reaction from Luna and Olivander.

"What are you on about Potter?" Draco confronted Harry. "He is Slytherin's heir, his direct decendant. Of course he's a pure blood."

"Mister Potter is correct about his name." Came the quiet, tired voice of Olivander, surprising everyone in the room. "The man you know as the Dark Lord is indeed Tom Riddle. I remember him vividly from when he bought his first wand."

"He lived in an orphanage didn't he?" Bellatrix's voice was barely a whisper. Harry nodded in answer to the unexpected question. "I thought it odd, last time, that he had us attack that muggle orphanage, it was too specific. Normally he would tell us to just attack somewhere in an area, that time he gave us a specific name." Bellatrix shuddered. "Only a couple of the littlest ones survived, hidden by one of the newer recruits."

"The Dark Lord lived in a muggle orphanage?" Narcissa was aghast.

"Dumbledore was the one who brought him to Hogwarts. But Tom was already cruel with the desire for power and to dominate others. Sending him back to that orphanage every summer certainly didn't help." Harry explained bitterly, reminded of his own prison with the Dursleys.

Harry recalled the lessons he had last year with Dumbledore. Less than a year ago, now that Harry thought about it. How many things had changed in the last year. Dumbledore and Mad-Eye were dead and now he himself was in hiding with his friends while trying to find these horcruxes. Then he looked aside at his wives, and smiled. At least one good thing was coming out of this, or rather two good things. With a sigh Harry pushed his contemplations aside and returned to the problem at hand.

"Regardless of if you believe me or not, the question remains about where you go from here." Harry fixed Bellatrix, Narcissa, and Draco with a steady eye in turn. "Will you help us beat Tom, or go running back to him. There really is no option to leave because you know how he deals with deserters."

Bellatrix and Narcissa exchanged knowing looks. They remembered how Karkaroff was hunted down, as well as several others. Draco looked defiant, haughtily sneering at Harry.

"Why shouldn't we go back Potter? The Dark Lord would reward us well for bringing in you and your whores." Draco responded.

"Reward?!" Bellatrix scoffed. "With torture and gang rape? To punish his followers who don't please him, he gives their wives and daughters out as rewards for those who please him." She gave the young Malfoy an appraising look. "But then you would think that's a reward. Get your head out of your arse Draco, the only reason you were given the Mark was so he could get more power." This comment piqued Harry's curiosity. "You were sent to kill Dumbledore to punish Lucius for getting caught. I am not going back."

She turned from the pouting Draco to Harry with a pointed look. "Although I'm not too keen on joining you either Potter. I've spent enough of my life serving others' causes. I'm more inclined to leave you all to your own devices. Although I might stick around. Call it morbid curiosity."

"That's 'Lord Black' Aunt Bellatrix." Nym corrected with a smirk. "And now that you are a Black again you are bound to obey your family head."

"No Nym, I won't be like Tom." Harry admonished, directing what he hoped was a reassuring smile to Bellatrix. "Just keep in mind what I said about getting away. Although, I do expect that if there is anything helpful you could tell us you would do so."

Bellatrix glanced briefly at Narcissa before responding. "Like what?"

"What did you mean about him getting more power when Draco got marked?" Hermione spoke up first.

"I asked 'Lord Black' mudblood, not you." Bellatrix sneered haughtily.

"None of that Bellatrix!" Harry reprimanded firmly, his tone brokering no compromise. "I will not tolerate that word or any of that Pureblood bigotry. Now answer Hermione's question."

Bellatrix bowed with an "As you wish" then turned back to Hermione. "The dark mark links our magic to the Dark Lord. He can draw on the magic of anyone bearing it to use himself."

Everyone in the room blinked, even Narcissa and Draco. The knowledge that their own magic was fueling the dark Lord's rise to power was shocking to them. Apparently only a few knew that tidbit. Harry exchanged glances with his wives and Hermione.

"That explains why he keeps getting stronger." Harry muttered. "Can you draw on his power too? What happens to those who have it when Tom dies? Can the mark be removed?"

Bellatrix shrugged as if the questions bored her. "No, we can't pull share his power, it is a one way thing. I don't know what happens, or if the mark can be removed. And if he dies? Well we were assured that he couldn't die."

"Yeah, right." Ron snorted with supressed laughter. "That'll be taken care of soon enough." Narcissa shared a confused look with Draco, Bellatrix looked thoughtful.

"What about that diary Lucius sent to Hogwarts five years ago?" Ron asked the room before turning to Narcissa. "Did Lucius have anything else like that, something that Tom asked him to keep safe? Or anybody else for that matter?"

Narcissa thought about it for a few moments before shaking her head, but the reaction from Bellatrix was different. Her eyes widened and her face paled. She seemed to struggle with herself for a moment, not particularly wanting to help but knowing she had information Harry would certainly want. Harry, noticing the reaction, turned to her with a questioning look. Harry waited patiently, despite practically feeling the frustration coming from his wives and friends.

"When Lucius was given the diary," Bellatrix finally began. "He gave Rodolphus a cup. It radiated almost as much of a dark feeling as the Dark Lord himself."

"What happened to the cup?" Harry asked, hope filling him.

"It is in the LeStrange vault in Gringotts."

* * *

Slowly the world came back into focus for Lord Voldemort, most feared Dark Lord since Grindewald. Slowly he stood up and looked around, he was still in Gregorovich's wand shop. He felt weak, even rising took what felt like super human effort. Something was severely wrong, and he had a feeling he knew what. He needed to return to England at once, forget his quest for the Elder Wand. His insurance policies were in jeapardy.

* * *

"Dobby," Severus Snape called the free Elf. Moments later the little Elf popped into the Headmaster's office, looking put out by being summoned.

"What does greasy man want from Dobby?" He directed a withering glare at the man sitting in the stark office behind an enormous desk. Severus just sighed, so few people understood the necessities of the potions master. Bad complexion and greash hair were just part of being bent over some of the concoctions he made every day.

"Did Potter summon you to the Chamber?" Severus asked bluntly, noticing the brief look of hero worship cross the Elf's before it was replaced with confusion.

"Yes." Was Dobby's confused response. Why would he want to know about the dirty old room? He wasn't about to tell anyone that he was just there with the great Harry Potter.

"And you were able to help him?" The Elf nodded. "Good. Now, can you get back into the Chamber any time you want to?" Again Dobby nodded but was confused by the question.

"Superb." Severus rose from his seat and walked around to the Elf.

Dobby eyed the wizard warily as he crouched down to his level. "Dobby, I have something that you might be able to help me with. You know that we have some people down in the dungeon of the castle?"


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Yes, I'm still alive. Finally completed this chapter enough I am going to post it. Thank you all for being so patient and sticking with the story.

Tellijo: sorry for that slip about Harry being surprised about the horcrux. one of the pitfalls of writing. I have gone back and re-read my previous chapters and hope I did better this time. I may go back and fix it later.

HaywireEagle: The fast pace so far is on purpose. I never did like the whole slogging around through the countryside part of Deathly Hallows. I don't think that once he was actually in the open, Voldemort would have waited as long as in the books to act.

Temporal Knight: Thank you for the mention!

Disclaimer: I obviously do not own any of the characters or places of either Harry Potter, or any other recognizeable source. They are the propery of their respective authors.

* * *

Chapter 11

Tom Riddle, self-titled 'Lord' Voldemort (though he would kill you for daring to call him by name), stared intently into the eyes of the dead man before him. It didn't matter that Rodolphus was breathing and somewhat cognizant, he was a dead man. And he knew it. Voldemort had arrived just minutes ago to find half of the building collapsed, Lucius dead, and Rodolphus dying. Only his superior abilies in mind magics allowed him to block out the pain dominating Rodolphs' mind while sifting through the dying man's memory of events in the ruin of Malfy Manor.

Rabastan LeStrange stood at his Lord's shoulder, looking anxiously at his afflicted brother. When he had arrived and seen the state of the manor he feared he would find something like this. He knew his brother was an accomplished wizard, but the destruction he saw was impressive. Hopefully his Lord could aid his brother. Rabastan looked to his Lord, and was surprised to see him turn and walk down the hall.

"My Lord?" he called after Voldemort before, after one last glance at his brother, he sprinted down the hall to the man who did not even pause at Rabastan's hail. "Is there anything that can be done for him?" His plea was practically a whine. Any remaining hope died when Voldemort broke out with a low, dark chuckle.

"No." He hissed, his voice more snakelike than human. Shivers ran down Rabastan's back at the sound. "And even if there were, I wouldn't. The fool deserves what he got, letting Potter and his wives get the drop on him." More concerning to him than the failure of yet another toadie was the absense of his familiar Nagini. She was nowhere to be found and he could no longer feel his connection to her. She may have been under the collapsed portion of the building, possibly trapped though he expected worse due to his bout of weakness at Gregorovich's. He would need to get the rat to search through the debris.

Rabastan stopped in his tracks. "Potter?"

"Call a meeting, all who bear my mark must attend." Voldemort replied without stopping. "And find Wormtail. I have need of his...unique abilities." Voldemort's voice drifted back as he turned the corner of the hall heading for lucius' office.

* * *

Harry sat back in the chair at his desk in the study of Number 12 Grimmauld Place and tiredly rubbed his eyes. The study was like the rest of Number 12, dreary. Apparently the Blacks took their name to heart as nearly all of the decor was unrelieved black. And when there was color in the house, it was almost gauranteed to be Slytherin green and silver. His wing back desk chair was one of those exceptions with emerald green upholstry and silver snake accents on the dark stained, almost black wood. In front of the large, surprisingly plain dark stained desk was a large fur rug. Made from some animal, the species of which was long lost to history (even Kreacher couldn't identify it) the long fur had been difficult to clear of occupying dark creatures. Opposite the rug was the massive fireplace with Mantel, it's size indicating that the study had at one time enjoyed it's own Floo connection.

He had been awake all night following their retrieval of Bellatrix and Narcissa, and the lack of sleep was showing. So much had happened the previous day, he was exhausted and should have retired as soon as he got home. Instead here he was, just a few hours following their impromptu meeting in the Chamber, searching the Black library. At least he didn't have to try waking up in time to catch the Express back to Hogwarts in the morning.

Immediately following their return home Harry, his wives, Hermione and Ron met in the study to discuss what had happened after he was hit by the killing curse.

-Flashback-

"Master of Death huh?" Ron snorted in disbelief. "What, do you get cool powers with it, like immunity from the killing curse? Could you eat poison like candy"

"Oooh, would that make you a true 'Death Eater'?" Nym bounced on the sofa, clapping her hands like an overexcited child.

"Ok, ok." Harry held up his hands in defeat. "I know we didn't think this was real, but apparently it is."

"But 'ow?" Fleur asked. "You 'ave ze wand and ze cloak, but where ees ze stone? And why does the wand now zee you as eet's master? You zaid earlier eet was hostile to you."

"According to Death, I won the wand when I beat Malfoy."

"Malfoy?!" Ron exclaimed, his shock echoed on Hermione's face.

"Makes sense." Nym nodded her head thoughtfully. Harry was again surprised at how quickly she could switch between frivolous and serious. "Didn't you tell us that Draco was the one to disarm Dumbledore on the top of the tower?" Nym asked Harry.

Harry nodded. "The only thing which kept Draco from killing Dumbledore was Draco's lack of conviction to Riddle, and Dumbledore knew it." Harry said, realization dawning on him. "He knew Draco beat him."

"And Draco must have acknowledged that you beat him in the study." Hermione nodded, connecting things in her mind. "But why didn't the wand pass to Lucius?"

"Death said it had something to do with me not dying." Harry shrugged, still a little uncomfortable talking about his near death. "Since I didn't die, he saw it as me defeating him. And now it listens to me, almost eagerly. Apparently I already had the stone, even if I don't know where it is." Harry paused in thought, then an idea struck him. "Dumbledore knew about this, all of it." He turned to Hermione. "He left us clues in his will. You the book, and me..."

"The snitch!" Hermione exclaimed. Harry, eyes wide, drew the snitch from his pants pocket where he had been keeping it. It's wings spread and flapped slowly. "But if something were hidden in it, it should have opened when you first touched it. Snitches have flesh memories you know, that's why each Quidditch game has to have a new one." Ron looked at Hermione with a new found awe, impressed that she knew something about quiddich.

"I didn't catch it Hermione." Harry said after a moment of thought. "I nearly swallowed it."

"Alright loverboy." Nym's broad grin took the bite out of her tease. "Pucker up and give it a smooch."

Harry pressed his lips to the small goldern ball, the flapping wings tickling his cheeks. When his lips made contact with the cold metal of the snitch, Harry heard a slight click. When he pulled back, he saw that the snitch had split along the equator and hinged open. Pushing the top open with his thumb, Harry's gaze fell upon the Gaunt family ring, the stone cracked where Dumbledore had exorcised the horcrux.

"That's..." Hermione began.

"The Gaunt ring." Harry finished. " They thought it was Slytherin's family ring, but it's obviously older than that."

"How did nobody ever figure out what this thing really was?" Ron asked gesturing at the ring resting in Harry's hand. "I mean, wouldn't somebody along the way have had a nervous habit, fiddled with it, and Auntie Bertha's ghost showed up?"

"Well think about it Ron," Nym suggested, shrugging. "The Burrow has a ghoul living in the attic, Hogwarts has how many ghosts? They are common enough in the wizarding world I doubt anyone would have associated that with the stone on the ring."

"What is that mark on the stone?" Hermione, who had been scrutinizing the ring, asked suddenly. "It is written in the margin of the book too."

"The sign of the Deatly Hallows." Luna's reply surprised everyone, they had not noticed that she was in the room with them. "Daddy has been studying the lore of the Deathly Hallows for a long time. He says it represents the wand, stone, and cloak. Some people think it was created after Beedle the Bard published the story, but Daddy thinks it was created by the brothers themselves to commemorate their defeat of death."

"Yes," Fleur agreed. "Eet ees also ze mark used by Grindelwald during what the muggles called World War 2." Fleur explained.

"Yes," Luna agreed sadly. "Many times scholars appropriate the symbols of the cultures they study. Unfortunately they often do irrepairable damage to the reputation of those symbols through their actions."

"So this is the Peverell ring, not the Slytherin ring" Harry mused. "I wonder." Harry pointed the Eder Wand at the ring. "Repairo." Harry watched as the fissure in the stone closed, leaving a smooth surface.

"Why fix it Harry?" Hermioine's confusion at his actions evident.

"I intend to repair the damage Tom has done to my family." He shrugged. "This seems like as good of a place as any to start."

-End Flashback-

"Still at eet 'Arry?" Fleur's drowsy voice roused him from his recollections.

Harry looked up to see his wife framed in the doorway. Her night gown clinging to her slender form, one hand resting on the door frame, the other over her mouth as she stiffled a yawn. Even half asleep, she was a vision of beauty. He shifted his attentioin to the clock over the mantle, and groaned as he saw it read four in the morning. It had only been six hours since they had invaded, and destroyed, Malfoy manor.

"Just trying to find any hints about how the Dark Mark works." He put the book aside and rose to join her as she turned to head back to bed. Harry placed his arm around his wife's waist and together they began to climb the stairs to their room past the plaques on the wall, now sporting muggle style portraits of the former Black family elves in place of the gruesome display of petrified heads.

'I have to remember to congratulate Kreacher on a job well done.' Harry mused. The old Elf had made significant progress in his attitude, but Harry had learned quickly that 'Thanks' left Kreacher confused while praise for good work as heartily accepted.

Along the way he passed Regulus' old room, where Bellatrix was staying. Bellatrix, Narcissa, Luna, and Ollivander had returned with Harry and company while Draco, still being an insufferable prat, had been left in the Chamber. Harry wondered idly if the blonde ponce would ever come around. Luna, for some reason, seemed certain he would. Oddly Draco seemed almost ready to accompany them when Luna asked him, despite looking ready to spit on Harry when he offered housing a moment earlier. Almost as if on que, when Harry drew even with Bellatrix's room there was a cry of pain from within. Without thinking, Harry's hand was on the knob. He ripped the door open to a scene straight from 'The Exorcist'

Bellatrix lay on her bed, emerald covers thrown to the floor, writhing in agony and clawing at her left arm through her night gown. While Fleur stopped at the door, Harry rushed over to Bellatrix's side. When he touched her shoulder her eyes shot open.

"He calls..." she hissed through clenched teeth. "I won't answer again."

"Does the mark always hurt so much when you are summoned?" Harry asked apprehenively.

Bellatrix nodded, squeezing her eyes tightly shut. "When the call is not answered. It is punishment for not responding." She didn't say any more as a bright red spell hurtled past Harry and hit her. Turning, Harry saw Nym in the doorway next to Fleur, wand raised, in sweat pants and a tank top. One strap of her top sliding slightly off of her shoulder.

"I had to stun Narcissa as well." Nym informed them, lowering her wand and straightening her shoulder strap. "Hopefully when they wake up enough time will have passed not to continue torturing them."

Harry turned to Fleur. "Tomorrow we start looking for ways to remove that mark." Fleur nodded once as Harry stood straight and walked toward the door and his wives.

"Eef stunning zem is ze only way to relieve ze pain, 'ow weel Draco fair?" Fleur asked as they left Bellatrix's room and continued back to their own.

"Serves the little toe rag right." Nym grated, irritated to be woken up this early. "Maybe by the time he suffers a little he'll get his head out of his arse."

* * *

Peter Pettigrew's lifeless eyes stared at the assembled Death Eaters, his snapped neck allowing his head to roll limply. Severus had seen many people subjected to the Cruciatus for extended periods of time. Yet this was the first he had seen someone convulse hard enough to snap their own neck. Not that he would mourn the dead betrayer of Lilly, but still...

The rat animagus had only followed Voldemort's command to find his snake familiar in the wreckage of Malfoy Manor. When he had returned with news that Nagini was dead, crushed beneath several tons of stone, his fate was sealed. His screams had echoed through the halls of what remained of the home, rising in frequency and pitch to a screech until finally settling into a high, piercing keening. The pitiful sound only stopping when the convulsions snapped his neck.

Now, Voldemort had ordered the body to remain where it was while they planned his retaliation. Severus wasn't sure which was worse, the morbid display of the consequences of disappointing the Dark Lord, or the depravity of the plan which was evolving. He stared into the lifeless eyes of Wormtail and made a decision.

* * *

-LEMON WARNING!-

Harry awoke to the pleasant feeling of two very naked, very feminine bodies pressed against him. He smiled, enjoying the intimacy of the moment. With all that had happened in the month since their marriage he had not been able to devote much time to his wives. In fact, since their wedding night, their only liason had been their little excursion at Hogwarts. And Professor McGonnegal's interruption had left his wives quite pent up.

With a smirk, Harry turned to the left and pulled Fleur closer to himfor a passionate kiss before he began nibbling on her earlobe. A sleepy, pleased moan issued from Fleur and she turned her head slightly in encouragement. Slowly Harry shifted lower, trailng kisses down Fleur's neck from behind her ear to her pulse point. Here he paused for a moment, applying a light suction as Fleur's eyelids fluttered open. He felt her heartbeat quicken beneath his lips.

Harry detached his lips from Fleur's shapely neck, to her whine of dissapointment, and turned to his other wife. Nym's eyes were already open, having been awakened by the movement of her other bed mates. Harry leaned forward and attacked her pulse point directly. Nym raised her left hand to the back of Harry's head, pressing him into her. Her right arm reached across him and her hand slid down his side to his hip. Harry groaned as her hand slipped into his boxers, having been too tired the previous early morning to remove them, and took a firm grip of his rapidly rising bishop.

Harry slid lower in the bed, Nym's arm extending slightly so she did not lose her hold. Slowly he traced the tip of his tongue down between her breasts. He felt two slender arms wrap around him as Fler's embrace pushed her breasts into his back, her pert nipples hard little pebbles between them. With his right arm supporting his body, he brought his lips to Nym's left nipple. Fleur, reaching across both of her lovers, began to tease Nym's right nipple with a pinch and light twisting motion. Harry's left hand reached behind him and pulled Fleur's leg over his body. Once she had locked her leg over his, his hand traced back up her thigh until he met moisture. Fleur let out a strangled cry as Harry's fingers began to dance, which was promptly smothered by Nym's lips.

Oh the things that may have been, had Harry not felt a light tap on his foot which had slipped from under the bed covers when he shifted down in bed. It was tentative enough he may not have noticed but the timid, high voice which followed couldn't be ignored.

-LEMON END-

"Mister Harry Potter sir?" the unmistakable voice of Dobby called to him. Harry was almost crushed as his startled wives clenced together. It was a few moments before they were disentangled and decent enough to address the little Elf.

"Dobby? What do you need?" Harry asked as he settled himself between his wives, who had the bed sheets pulled up the their chins.

"Headmaster Greasy be sending Dobby to tell you the Express is not safe." Dobby told him, keeping his eyes diverted from the bed.

"I know the Express is not safe for me Dobby. Neither is the school." Harry explained patiently. "I'm not planning to return to Hogwarts this year."

"Pardon Dobby, mister Harry Potter sir, but warning not being for you sir but for other students. Headmaster Greasy tells Dobby that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named ordered an attack."

Harry sat up a little straighter at that. He knew that Riddle would seek some retribution for the death of Nagini. Yet with the Death Eaters having control of Hogwarts, he had not expected an attack on the students. But then again, it made sense that Tom would hit where it would hurt Harry the most.

"Could he give you any details Dobby?" Nym asked in full Auror mode now.

Dobby's head bobbed up and down excitedly. "Yes Missus Black. Bad wizards will attack after the train being out of London. Headmaster Greasy says they want clear view if someone be trying to get away. He also say that all loyal to Him will be in last carriage."

"Did 'e say anyzing about wards?" Fleur asked, Dobby shook his head side to side.

"We have to assume that they will put up at least apparition wards." Nym thought out loud. "They may not bother with portkey wards since their main targets will likely be muggle-borns who don't have ready access to them." She cast a Tempus spell to find the time at 8:30 before turning back to the House Elf. "Thank you Dobby, you are a great help. Lets get dressed and get going, this opens several possibilities and we have very little time to get organized. And we have to teach Harry a new spell."

"New spell?" Harry looked at his wife in confusion.

* * *

Harry slipped aboard the Hogwarts Express, under cover of his invisibility cloak, twenty minutes before departure. He quietly moved through the train until he found Neville, reading a book, in a compartment of the second to last carriage. Harry slid the compartment door open just enough to slip through. After sliding the compartment door closed again, he stopped and took an appraising look at Neville. His dorm mate had grown over the summer, most of his chubbyness was gone and he looked to have gained several inches in height.

"Hello Harry." Neville greeted without looking .up. "Wondered if you were going to show up this year."

Surprised, Harry was quiet for a moment before, without removing his cloak, he replied. "Hello Nev. How did you know I was here?"

The Gryfindor shrugged. "I saw the door open but no one entered. No shimmer like disillution causes, and the Death Eaters wouldn't bother with invisibility cloaks anymore."

"You knew I had an invisibility cloak?"

Neville chuckled. "I've been your dorm mate for six years, don't you think I would have noticed you had an invisibility cloak by now?

Harry chuckled too. "So how was your summer?"

"Eventful. Gran was so impressed with my school performance since I got my new wand that she taught me a few spells over the summer." Neville responded, still not putting his book down. "You shouldn't be here, those Aurors out there are all Death Eaters."

"I know." Harry responded. "But this is more important. Riddle ordered an attack on the Express. As soon as it gets out into the countryside, he and the rest of the Death Eaters are going to ambush the train. All of his supporters were told to have their children stay the last car on the train, out of the way."

Neville lowered his book slightly and was silent for a long moment. "So that's why there are so many people from different houses in it. Usually it's just full of Slytherins," he mused before finally turning toward Harry. "Well, we can't let that happen now can we?"

* * *

LeStrange manor was bursting at the seams with the black robed, silver masked followers of Lord Voldemort. It was smaller than Malfoy manor had been but it was also less well known and, therefore, more secure. Not that it mattered now that the Dark Lord controlled the Ministry. Most importantly, despite more than fifteen years of neglect it was still intact making it a wonderful staging point for the attack.

Rabastan LeStrange stared at the letter with the Gringotts seal in his hand, wondering if he should tell his Lord about it. It had arrived that morning, informing him that Bellatrix would be at the bank at eleven in the morning to reclaim her dowry from the LeStrange vault. He knew that she would be allowed to remove it's value from the vault whether he was there or not. Unfortunately that was during the attack on the Hogwarts Express.

He wracked his memory, trying to remember if there was anything important the vault. He certainly hadn't put anything in there that he couldn't live without. Besides, after so many years in prison he could do without most things. Besides, they were going to hunt the bitch down anyway. They could just get anything she took back then.

With a shrug, he left the parchment on his kitchen table and joined the others preparing to apparate to the location of the ambush.

* * *

Harry stood on the front platform of the Express' lead carriage, watching the last few students board. He watched with a smirk as the form of Draco Malfoy strutted across the platform as if he owned it. He was headed for the last carriage where the other Death Eater spawn and children of sympathizers were gathered. He saw the bookends Crabbe and Goyle rush out to greet Malfoy as he boarded.

Harry couldn't help but smirk. He wondered how those gits would react if they knew that it wasn't Draco they were welcoming. Nym's position in the Slytherin's carriage was integral to their plan. She was to prevent any of them from heading into the rest of the train once they started their plans. Now he just needed the Weasleys to make their usual, late arrival.

As if his thoughts summoned them, he caught a glimpse of red hair near the concealed entrance. Arthur Weasley stepped through and onto the platform, followed by Ginny, Molly, and finally Ron. All of the pieces were beginning to fall into place.

* * *

Ron slipped from his hiding place and fell into step behind his mother as she stepped through the entrance to platform 9 3/4. He had waited until all of his family had passed throught the barrier to avoid any dramatic displays from his mother. He loved her dearly, but she had a definite tendancy for the theatric. Once through he immediately noticed the guard of 'Aurors' spaced around the platform. He snorted contemptously at the display, wolves in sheeps' clothing.

Ahead of him, he saw Ginny turn to give her mother a kiss goodbye. She froze momentarily as she caught sight of her brother, but a quick shake of his head kept her from saying anything. She gave her mother a fierce embrace before grabbing the strap of her trunk and hurried for the Express. Ron slipped forward and, before she had time to react, gave his mother a kiss on the cheek and followed his sister toward the train. Ignoring his mother's confused "Ron?" he leapt aboard just as final whistle blew and the train began to pull away. He couldn't, however, ignore his sister who waylayed him as soon the carriage door closed behind him.

"Where have you been?!" She stopped him in the corridor with a finger in the middle of his chest. "And where are Harry and Hermione."

"Not here." Ron forestalled him. "We need to find Neville."

"This has something to do with Riddle doesn't it." Ron nodded. "We'll need to find Luna too then."

"She's at Headquarters with Hermione..."

"Who's with Hermione?" Luna's dreamy voice interrupted from behind Ron who whirled about to stare at the newly arrived blonde Witch. "Ron, it's not polite to stare. Close your mouth please."

There was an audible click as Ron did just that. "What are you doing here?" He began, then he shook his head. "Never mind, we don't have time. I have to get Neville, you two go around to the DA. Riddle is going to attack the train. We have a plan, but get them ready to protect themselves in case."

Ginny was gaping at him, then she gave herself a little shake. "What about their children on the train?"

"That's been taken care of." Ron answered shortly before he brushed past her and strode down the aisle of the accelerating train."

"Come along Ginny." Luna draped her arm over the redhead's shoulders. "I'll explain as we go."

* * *

Nym stepped into the last carriage of the Express and scanned the room with a practiced eye. Unlike most of the carriages, which had private compartments, this carriage was a single open area with seating down either side of a central aisle. It may have originally been intended as a dining car, but was currently taken over by the would-be followers of the Dark Lord. She recognized most of the children in the carriage from the Auror files on their parents, yet there were a few surprises seated among the silver and green robes. Susan Bones sat, somewhat vacantly, between a smug Theo Nott and a worried Hannah Abbott. Nym thought that the death of Susan's aunt the previous summer would have kept the girl away from the darker families. But then, Nym thought, she didn't know who had taken Susan's guardianship after her Aunt's death. Perhaps she hadn't been given a choice.

Three rows further back sat the Greengrass sisters, Daphne and Astoria. Their father had been a neutral in the Wizengamot for years, but the rest of his family had leanings toward the dark. Hell, according to the reports she had read, Daphne had been on Umbitch's Inquisitorial squad at Hogwarts last year. But how much of that was her and how much pressure from her House and Family?

There were also a few students she didn't recognize, that looked to be first years. Nym figured that if she didn't recognize them, there was a good bet they were at least half-blood. Did they know what was coming, or were they just looking for a place to sit?

She moved to sit about three rows down the aisle, every eye in the carriage watching her. She herself had been closely questioned by Crabbe and Goyle upon her arrival, thankfully she knew enough about her cousin to do a passable imersonation. The two goons themselves didn't know much of what was really happening, but they did know that there was a mandatory meeting for all who bore the mark. They also knew that Draco hadn't been there, but they accepted the explanation that it was due to Draco's mother that he hadn't attended, which wasn't exactly a lie.

After an almost agonizing wait, she felt the train begin to move. she stood up and walked to the front of the carriage. All eyes followed her again as she moved up the aisle, mimicing Draco's confident swagger. They were still on her as she turned to face the carriage. Striking her best impersonation of Draco's arrogant, disdainful posture Nym glared around the room.

"All of those who are not full supporters of the Dark Lord," she snarled. "GET OUT!" Her exclaimation was met with stunned silence before, slowly, people began moving out of the car, trailing their belongings and muttering about bullies. Nym noticed Crabbe, Goyle, and many of the other Death Eater children staring at other individuals, as if daring them to move. In a moment of inspiration, Nym turned to Draco's two goons. "Crabbe, Goyle. Eject those who are...reluctant. Maybe what happens will convince them." They grinned evily and began to forcibly remove some of the panic stricken Slytherins.

Hannah Abbot stood and attempted to pull Susan to her feet, but to no avail. Nym's eyes narrowed as Susan didn't even respond to Hannah tugging on her arm.

"Abbot." she turned to the scared Hufflepuff. "out." With another, sad look to her friend Hannah gathered her things and left.

She turned back to Susan, who was still unresponsive, and Nott. Nym mentally berrated herself for not noticing the signs. "Imperious?" she asked Nott.

Nott grinned, "Now that the Dark Lord is in power we take what we want right? Had my eye on her for years, but she wouldn't give me the time of day. Now with my Father as her guardian it was easy. Although he can't legally write a marriage agreement between two of his own charges, he can damn well make sure no one else does."

Nym nodded, thinking quickly, she didn't have much time before the train was out of town.

"She is a liability, get rid of her."Nym snarled at Nott. "You aren't good enough or powerful enough to hold an imperious. Especially on Amelia Bones' niece."

"What are you getting at?" Nott rose to his feet, wand coming to his hand.

Nym fired a hex at him causing Nott to throw a shield. It was only a stinging hex, and not particularly powerful, but it was enough. When it hit Nott's shield, the strain of holding both spells caused Nott to collapse. Before he hit the ground Susan Bones was shaking her head, trying to clear the cobwebs. She took one confused look around before she bolted for the door.

Internally Nym sighed in relief, until she felt the train pick up more speed.

Glancing out the window she saw fewer buildings and more fields opening up. She turned and made her way back to the front of the carriage, there wasn't much time left. When she turned back, making sure to stand so that the door opened away from her, a quick glimpse around showed that Crabbe and Goyle had apparently finished ejecting the reluctant followers and were in the process of waking Nott. There were quite a few empty seats, including the ones previously occupied by the Greengrass sisters.

"Now, since I missed the meeting, what's going on?" She asked the room.

A freshly awakened Nott snorted and directed a hateful look to Nym. "Rodolphus LeStrange and your Father got their arses handed to them by Potter. Both are dead." Nott's sneer almost made Nym laugh. "The Dark Lord ordered an attack the train in retalliation. Should be soon, we are all supposed to stay here to be out of the line of fire."

Nym began to laugh. "Potter didn't get Rodolphus, Bellatrix did. Apparently she took exception to how he and the rest of the Dark Lord's followers treated her." Nym paused to let that sink in a moment before she continued, intending to sow some doubt. "And if you underestimate Potter, it may be the last thing you do. Father hit him point blank with the killing curse and Potter just shrugged it off."

Nym looked smugly at the now gaping Death Nibblers. Nym turned, her robes flaring in a imitation of Snape. When she reached for the doorknob she was surprised as it forcefully swung open, and Draco Malfoy walked in.

* * *

Harry, his invisibility cloak safely stowed in a bottomless pouch, slowly made his way over the top of the Hogwarts Express's tender toward the engine itself. Climbing over the top of moving train, he discovered, was nowhere near as easy as portrayed in cinema. The tender beneath him lurched with each joint in the track, sometimes sideways, sometimes suddenly dropping or rising beneath him. When he finally dropped to the footplate beside a very startled Engineer, he was exhausted.

"Oi! Who 're you then?" the grizzled Engineer reached into the breast of his jacket, no doubt going for his wand, before he stopped with a close look at Harry. "Potter? What'r you doin 'ere?"

"Just lending a hand." Harry stood and looked out the window. Ahead he could see what looked like a low cloud bank, but the sun was shining on either side and above said cloud. Obviously this was no naturally occuring cloud. Harry pulled the Elder wand from his belt before turning to the Engineer.

"Whatever happens, don't stop the train." Grasping the hand rail on the back of the cab, Harry swung out and onto the narrow ledge running to the front of the engine.

* * *

Draco Malfoy was incensed. Not only had he been forced to endure the torture from not being able to respond to the Dark Lord's call, he had been forced to stoop to using his House Elf to escape the Chamber of Secrets. And it was even more infuriating that it had taken him until this morning to figure out how to get out, and that was by accident. Now he was on the train in yesterday's battle sullied robes after spending a night in agony in a damp dungeon. Yes, Draco Malfoy was right royally pissed.

Now, he had finally gotten to the carriage the Slytherins normally occupied, and all of these idiots were staring at him as though he had grown a second head. That was the limit, he was going to curse someone and he didn't care who. Drawing his wand with a snarl, he was surprised when it was quickly snatched from his hand. Furiously he turned to confront...himself. Startled, he took a step back.

Draco's surprised reaction was the opening Nym needed. Quickly, and without turning her back on the carriage while keeping her wand on Draco, she pushed her way through the still open door. Stopping just outside, she kept her wand on Draco and began to shift back to herself.

"Well cousin," Nym smiled, now back to herself. "Time for us to go. Don't be too disapointed that you won't get to see the fireworks."

"Fireworks?" Draco, recovering from his shock, grated through clenched teeth. "What fireworks?"

"Why, when Harry foils Voldemort's plans again of course." Luna's light voice drifted from behind Nym.

"Luna?! What are you doing here?" Nym was shocked, but still kept her wand on Draco. Trained to notice subtle changes in facial expressions, Nym saw Draco's face shift from confusion, to happiness, then red emarassment in quick succession. She risked a glance over her shoulder to see a positively beaming Luna, flanked by Ginny, and her mind stuttered.

"Harry's my friend." Luna stated as if the explanation were obvious. "He needs my help, so I'll help him." She directed a smile at Draco. "You can appreciate that, right Draco?"

Turning back to Draco, she saw him beginning to collect himself. 'Better keep him off-balance,' she thought.

"Yeah, old Tommy boy is going to attack the express." She pushed on with a smirk.

"Attack the Express?" Draco turned to look at Nott and the other Slytherins, who looked confused about the 'Tommy' referrence, but nodded. Then he turned back to Nym. "How did you find that out."

Nym's smirk just broadened, Draco had given her the perfect opening for their next bit of dissemination. "Good thing they don't teach Occlumency at Hogwarts. Nott there was positively broadcasting the plan from the time he stepped onto the platform and glared at the first Muggleborn." Nott received numerous murderous looks at this, causing him to look even more sheepish. Nym had to keep herself from laughing at him. "We've been watching the platform all morning. Harry decided to act as soon Nott's mind was picked clean. Now it's time to say goodbye. Thank you for making it easier for us by gathering all of yourselves in one car."

"Get rid of us?" Draco asked, but Nym had already retreated to the door of the preceeding carriage.

She lowered her wand to point at the canvas boot covering the space between the carriages. "Reducto!" Nym shouted and the fabric was ripped away exposing the coupling and brake lines below. Before she could cast another spell, Luna stepped beside her.

"Draco it is time." Luna's uncharacteristic intensity making it seem as if this were the most important decision in the world. "You know what is coming, you've seen the true nature of Harry and Tom. You must choose."

Draco blanched and started shaking, as if he were hearing the voice of doom passing judgement on him. Slowly, thoughtfully, he began walking toward Nym and Luna. Nym began to raise her wand but Luna laid her hand lightly on Nym's wrist. Just as Draco reached the gaping hole between the carriages, Goyle grabbed his elbow.

"Don't be stupid Draco," he growled. "You know what we are working for, you've seen the power of the Dark Lord."

Draco turned, and Goyle could see the open fear in his eyes. "And I've also seen Potter hit by the killing curse and get up. I've seen the Chamber of Secrets, been in Salazar's private rooms, and it was Potter who took me there."

Goyle was shocked, once Potter's wife had been exposed he just thought that bit about Potter and the killing curse was bravado. "But Potter's only a half-blood, how could he access Slytherin's Chamber?"

Draco looked at him silently for a long moment. "So is the Dark Lord," he finally stated before turning and, shaking off Goyle's hand, walked to join Luna.

Once Draco crossed the gap between the carriages, Nym pointed her wand at the coupler. "Bombarda!" The train lurched as the coupler shattered and the last carriage started to slide away.

* * *

Harry felt the train lurch as he made his way along the walkway down the side of the boiler of the scarlet engine. That meant that the end carraige had been disconnected and he could continue with the next step of the plan. Elder Wand in hand, he gripped the hand rail with his off hand and touched the wand to the red jacketing of the engine boiler.

Concentrating on where he wanted to be he confidently declared "Portus!" He felt the enchantments already imbuing the surging, snorting, almost living machine below fight against the intrusion of foreign magic. He willed more power through the wand and felt the grip grow warm in his hand as he fought the enchantments for dominance.

Harry's attention was drawn away from the spell for a moment, as another spell impacted the engine to his left, and he could feel the existing enchantments pushing him back. He glanced down the length of the engine and saw they had reached the storm front. A line of black clad figures stood across the tracks, blocking the way forward. Another spell flew from the figures and narrowly missed Harry's ear.

'Shit!' Harry thought, scooting closer to the boiler to lower his profile.

Suddenly two red spells flew from behind Harry toward the line of Death Eaters. Harry spun his head around to see Neville and Ron standing on top of the coal pile in the tender, wands in hand. Harry smiled, grateful for the support, and redirected his efforts to breaking through the spells. Finally after what seemed an eternity, during which Neville and Ron traded spell fire with the Death Eaters as they drew closer, Harry felt the spell finally surge through the existing enchantments and take hold.

Nearly exhausted, Harry slumped against the jacketed boiler, only to straighten as he saw an emerald green killing curse streak overhead toward Ron. Before Harry could react, a stone slab flew from beside the train tracks and intercepted the curse. Harry glanced to the back of the tender where Draco Malfoy, wand pointed to where the slab of stone had turned to dust, had just climbed up. A quick nod shared between the two and Harry directed his attention to the red eyed, noseless vissage of the caster of the killing curse.

* * *

Tom Riddle stood at the center of the tracks, in the path of the oncoming locomotive. Harry could see Tom's followers beginning to get nervous, especially those on the tracks immediately next to him. With a smirk, Harry flashed Riddle a reversed "V" and tapped his wand on the handrail to activate the portkey. Harry felt the familiar sensation of being hooked behind the navel. Alongside that he also felt a shiver, like ice water being poured over his head, as the speeding train smashed through the Death Eaters' wards.

Voldemort fumed. The damnable Malfoy brat finally displays a backbone, and it is in defiance of him?! Absolutely intolerable! Then then Potter dared to display such an insulting gesture? Intolerable! Resolutely he stood as the red locomotive bore down on him like a scarlet missle. Then it dissappeared in a swirl of colors.

Voldemort felt the wards collapse around him as to his right further down the line of Death Eaters, one Walden McNair collapsed in a twitching heap. With a snarl, Voldemort turned his wand on the comotose McNair. A quick, silent Bombarda ended Walden McNair as a red smear on the turf.

Voldemort surveyed his quivering followers and shook his head. If only they would quit failing him.

* * *

Flintknife grinned maliciously as Bellatrix and Narcissa Black followed by Fleur Potter climbed from the cart beneath Gringotts. They had just finished with the reclaimation of the dowry funds from the LeStrange vault for Bellatrix's marriage. Nearly all of the liquid assets within the vault had been taken to repay the bride pice as well as almost half of the personal artifacts, including one particularly ominous feeling golden cup which currently resided in Bellatrix's hand bag. As Bellatrix and Narcissa walked past Flintknife toward the private, discreet entrance to Gringotts Fleur stopped to have a word with the goblin.

"Flintknife, zomething 'as come up and we will be needing a few more tents at ze manor."

"Really?" The Goblin's ears seemed to perk up at the prospect of the commision an additional purchase would bring. "How many are we talking about, Lady Potter?"

"Oh I don't know." Fleur's pleasent tone sounding as if she were discussing the house grocery list. "Enough for, zay, around four 'undred people."

* * *

A/N: Yes, I know I changed a couple of things. But the canon methods sometimes just didn't work in my story. So no cryptic 'Open at the close' riddle for the snitch, among other things. Hey, it's fan fiction, right?


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: I obviously do not own Harry Potter or any other publicly recognizable characters.

Chapter 12

It was, perhaps, unfortunate that as holder of the Eldar Wand, Harry was the most logical choice to turn the Hogwarts Express into a portkey. Considering his infamous difficulties with magical travel it should be no surprise that, naturally, things did not go fully as planned. Turning the Express into a portkey that transported all of the attached carriages, with occupants, to the overgrown fields to the South of Potter Castle was successful. What Harry forgot to take into account was that while a portkey will transport an object which is in motion, that object will still be in motion when the portkey reaches it's destination. And while the portkey did get to the Potter Castle south field, his aim was off. A bit.

As the Express burst into being above the fields of Potter Castle two problems became immediately apparent to those aboard: first the Express was still traveling at full speed, second, it was thirty feet above the field. Thankfully the numerous safety derailment charms on the train, promptly kicked in. These charms worked to quickly slow the train's descent and gently lower it to rest on the turf. For the passengers in the carriages, these charms also ensured the passengers remained comfortable and secure regardless of how quickly the train slowed.

For Harry and those on top of the train, their ride was not so gentle. Nobody was supposed to be on top of the train, so the charms did not cover them. The slowing of the train came as a sudden jolt, throwing them forward. Ron, Neville, and Draco, standing atop the tender, nearly tumbled off while Nym, still climbing the tender ladder, suffered multiple bruises. Harry, typically, suffered the most. He was flung forward so violently that he lost his grip of the hand rail and tumbled forward along the engine's cat walk to land in a heap on the front buffer.

At least the Engineer had the presence of mind to cut the throttle, stopping the drive wheels from turning.

Hermione, waiting atop the ruins of the old castle, waved her wand at the Express as it came rest. Immediately the already dense vegetation of the field grew to block the windows and doors of the carriages. No one would be able to see out of the carriages and, combined with the anti-aparition wards on the train, prevent anyone from leave them until they were interviewed and their loyaties determined. While Ron may have felt that all dark Witches and Wizards were Slytherins, Harry had been under no such illusion that there weren't Riddle sympathizers in other houses. Or that all Slytherins were budding Death Eaters. Train properly secured, Hermione rushed to the engine arriving as Ron and Neville were helping a bruised Nym down from the ladder.

"Where's Harry," she asked as she gave Ron a tight hug.

"He was on the engine." Draco called from above, startling Hermione who had not noticed him before. She gave Ron a confused look, but he just shrugged. "I don't see him now though." Draco continued, not seeing the exchange as he was looking to the front of the engine.

"Neville, help Nym check on the Engineer." Ron directed, taking charge. "Nym, while you're there find the intercom and make an announcement to the passengers. Something about there being an attack, stay in the compartments, prefects meet in the normal meeting carriage. As an Auror, they should listen to you."

"Yeah," Nym gimmaced painfully. "Likely not an Auror anymore since I got married to Undesirable Number One."

"Maybe, but they don't need to know that." Ron continued. "Hermione and I will check on Harry." Ron and Hermione dashed toward the front of the train while Draco climbed down from the tender to assist Nym and Neville.

Just as they rounded the front of the engine, spotting Harry laying in a heap against the front lantern, they heard Nym's amplified voice announce: "This is an Auror investigation, please remain calm and stay in your compartments. The Express has been portkeyed to a secure location due to a Death Eater attack. Prefects, quickly check the passangers for any injuries and report to the front carriage. Each person will be interviewed and a statement taken. Do not attempt to exit the carriages before being interviewed."

Ron and Hermione clambered up the front of the engine to examine Harry. He stirred when they rolled him onto his back. Groaning in pain, he raised his hand to lightly touch the growing lump on his head.

"When this is all over I'm never using magical travel again." Harry moaned. Ron helped him to a sitting position while Hermione fretted over him. Sometimes she was more protective than Mrs. Weasley. Harry looked up, focusing on Ron's face to help stop the spinning.

"Oh, it wasn't too bad for your first portkey." Ron quipped. "Just need to work on your aim a little."

"Anyone hurt?" Harry asked.

"Nym's a bit bruised. Neville, Draco and I were almost thrown from the top of the train, but no worse for the wear."

Harry nodded. "What about the students? Anyone hit by spells, or hurt when the train stopped?"

"Nym is having the Prefects check for injuries." Ron answered. "I don't think any spells hit the carriages, they were pretty much concentrating on us. But as for when the train stopped..."

"There won't be any from when the train stopped." Hermioine interrupted, causing Ron and Harry to turn to look at her. "The safety charms which stopped the train also prevented the carriage occupants from being harmed." She continued. "I read about it in..."

"Hogwarts A History!" Ron and Harry chimed in stereo. Hermione blushed slightly while Ron and Harry began to laugh.

"So," Ron began when he calmed down, glancing at Hermione. "Draco..."

"Aparently." was Harry's reply as he wiped tears from his eyes. "Wonder what changed his mind."

"Don't know," Ron shrugged. "He showed up with Nym after the Riddle supporters were cut loose."

"You're being awfully accepting of him being here."" Hermione pointed out, Ron just shrugged again.

"He was dead useful in the fight."

Hermione stared at him. "Fight? I thought you were supposed to be out before Tom got there."

Ron stopped and turned to look at her. "It took a little longer to activate the portkey than we expected. Tom showed up with some followers and started throwing curses. We all got out fine and Malfoy helped."

Harry nodded. "Ok, I'll ask Nym. Then we talk with him and get a list of names of students with possible Death Eater ties. I know it won't be complete, but it could help identify those we need to keep a closer eye on." Ron nodded but Harry could see that Hermione was frowning.

"I don't trust him." Harry assured her. "But if he can supply any information I'd be stupid not to check it." With Ron and Herminoe's help, Harry climbed from the engine and they made their way back along the engine to Nym.

* * *

Auror Nymhadora (it's Nym!, damn wankers) Black sat in the first carriage's prefect meeting compartment some three hours later, staring across the table at a stone faced Daphne Greengrass. So far, their interviews of the students had turned up no blatant followers of Riddle, and very few who seemed to warrant watching closely. Only a couple of Slytherins indicated leaning toward supporting Riddle, but not enough to send them back to Hogwarts instead of letting them into Harry's little refuge.

Daphne Greengrass was actually the final interview to be conducted. The young Witch sat calmly across from Nym, cool blue eyes regarding the older Witch from an expressionless face. Nym realised that this girl was someone who would be difficult to read. She would hate to play poker with her.

Nym had talked with Draco, and the recently arrived Narcissa, about who would possibly be sympathizers of Riddle, and the case of the elder Greengrass was unclear. Narcissa had confirmed that, while the Greengrass family were sympathetic to pureblood ideals, they had always steadfastly ignored approaches to join or support Riddle. Draco, meanwhile, could be no more enlightening about Daphne herself. She had participated in Umbridge's little inquisitor squad but she had not volunteered, Umbridge appointed her. Now, after nearly half an hour of questioning, Nym was nowhere nearer figuring out if she was a threat or not. It was an enigma, and her frustration was showing.

"Why where you and your sister sitting in the last carriage on the train?"

"Slytherin house normally congregates in that carriage." was the cool reply.

"When I told those who did not support the Dark Lord to leave, your sister stood but you pulled her back into her seat. Why?" Nym tried another approach.

"For those in Slytherin house, to leave voluntarily would have been a death sentence. My sister is sometimes a little too obvious for her own good. At times I wonder if she should have been a Grffindor."

Nym thought for a moment, time for the direct approach. "What is your stance in regard to the Dark Lord?"

If the question surprised the girl it didn't show. "He is powerful, magically and politically. To stay neutral is...dangerous, to stand against him is suicide."

"And where do you stand?" Nym pressed.

"Supporting him does not currently help my goals. Neither does standing against him."

"Spoken like a true Slytherin." came a calm, soft voice from behind Nym startling her. She turned to see Narcissa enter the compartment. "Your husband needs your help with the first years Auror Black." Narcissa turned a smile at Daphne. "I will take over from here." Grumbling, Nym rose and exited. Slamming the door behind her.

Narcissa took the seat Nym vacated. "Hello Daphne" she greeted the girl.

"Mrs. Malfoy" Daphne responded with a slight incline of her head.

"It is Ms. Black now. My marriage to Lucius has been dissolved and I am now back with my family." That got a slight raise of the eyebrows from the girl, the first crack in her stoic expression. Narcissa grinned. "Now, lets have a little chat, Slytherin to Slytherin."

* * *

Nym found Harry near the top of the castle hill watching the buz of activity in the field surrounding the Express. Flintknife had arrived with Fleur, Narcissa, a contingent of twenty Goblin stone masons, crates of food, and forty Wizard tents about an hour after the train arrived. Apparently many of the tents were already in the Potter family vault at Gringotts, relics from some long ago military campaign. Wisely Bellatrix, seeing no need to terrify the students furthur, had elected to stay at Grimmauld Place.

The students, led by Neville, Ron, and Draco were setting the tents up around the Express. There were four groups of seven tents around the train for the Hogwarts houses. A little closer to the castle was a larger pavilion housing a kitchen and dining hall. The remaining tents were set-up a little further around the hill, away from the student tents, for those rescued from Umbridge.

Nym peered up at the top of the hill and her eyes widened in surprise. In the three hours the Goblins had been on site, they had already cleared the walls of rubble and vegitation down to the foundations. With the debris cleared, they had split into two groups. One group was beginning to work the cleared stones, already sorted by size, by squaring them off into various building blocks and then carving runes on each side. A second group of Goblins was expanding the cleared ground into the outer bailey, digging what appeared to be foundation trenches at right angles to the wall foundations.

Still watching the bustling Goblins, Nym approached Harry who was talking with Flintknife. "They didn't waste any time did they?" she remarked to Flintknife's amusement.

"Not many Witches or Wizards in Britain have seen Goblins at work so they are surprised how quickly we get things done." Flintknife responded. "We are not allowed to build residences for ourselves outside of the tunnels at Gringotts. And hiring Goblin work crews is extremely expensive. Plus most Wizarding families see Goblins as inferior and not worthy of building their homes." Nym and Harry didn't miss the bitterness in his voice.

"And yet they charge Goblins with watching their money." Harry shook his head. "Wait, just how expensive is 'extremely expensive'?"

"Don't worry Lord Potter-Black." Flintknife grinned widely. "Our negotiations took into account that not only was the Basilisk over one thousand years old, it was also Salazar Slytherin's own. It has proven to be very valuable." He turned to Nym. "As I was telling your husband we should have the outer wall and buildings completed by the end of the week. The new buildings will include accommodations and classrooms for the Hogwarts students. With those additional buildings there won't be as much room between the walls as the castle originally had, but since you won't be staging masses of cavalry, that shouldn't be a problem. And the building walls will serve well as reinforcement for the outer walls. Not that they will need it, a dragon couldn't bring them down when we're done."

"Just make sure you leave enough space for a large garage. I want lots of cars, no more portkeys!" Harry cried emphatically, to sniggers from Nym. Flintknife simply nodded.

"The inner walls and keep will take an additional week to complete." Flintknife continued. "The keep will house the family accommodations, main assembly/dining hall, kitchens, and larder. The entire site will be covered with wards which will only allow out bound aparition or port-keys, and than only with Lord Potter-Black's approval." Harry nodded with each point, a satisfied grin on his face.

"Ok," Nym changed topics following Flintknife's explanation. "Aunt Narcissa said you needed some help. Wheres blondie? I would have thought she was more kid friendly than me."

"Fleur's down in the castle crypt, working on student schedules and making sure our latest trinket is secure." Harry replied. "I'm going to need your help getting the first years sorted."

"How are we going to do that? The hat is at Hogwarts and it won't work outside the castle grounds."

Harry's answering grin made Nym slightly nervous.

* * *

Severus Snape, Headmaster of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, stood on the train platform in Hogsmeade awaiting the overdue Express. Of course he had received the message that the Express itself would not be coming, but there was one final carriage of the train. According to the Death Eater who brought word of the raid, the Dark Lord himself was overseeing the delivery of the carriage with his faithful's progeny to the school. The man, obviously relieved to have an assignment which sent him away from the Dark Lord's presence, immediately left after delivering his message. Now Severus stood patiently awaiting the arrival of the carriage.

A slight pop next to him startled him slightly. Turning, he saw one of the Hogwarts' House Elves standing next to him. "Headmaster Snape sir. Bad Elf Dobby is having taken the Sorting Hat."

Severus, reguarding the elf with some slight confusion, blinked. 'The hat? Why the hat?' Then realization dawned on him and he nodded to the Elf. "I will deal with it after the Dark Lord arrives with the last of the students. Have Professor McGonnagall meet me in my office."

The Elf bowed deeply before popping away, just as Severus could see the carriage appear in the distance. He only had about fifteen minutes to wait before the carriage arrived at the platform, an exhausted Goyle Sr. on the front. Goyle canceled his locomotion spell, bringing the carriage to a halt, before collapsing on the foot plate.

When the door to the carriage opened, Riddle was the first to emerge. He looked contemptously at the crumpled form of Goyle and, with a negligent flick of his wand, he sent a silent Killing Curse before calmly stepping over the corpse.

"Headmaster Snape," he addressed Severus, the sneer of Severus' title clear in his voice. "Best contact the Ministry and inform them that terrorists have abducted the children of Hogwarts. Make sure to tell them that I was able to save those children of my closest associates."

"Of course my Lord." Severus bowed to Riddle, who walked past him without a glance. Other Death Eaters were now beginning to emerge from the carriage, pausing briefly to peer at the body of Goyle Sr.

"And Severus," Riddle paused momentarily. "Find those children, they must learn their lessons after all." Riddle continued past the station to the apparation point to the side of the platform. He disappeared without a sound, his remaining followers following shortly.

Severus turned his attention back to children emerging from the train. Theo Nott was consoling a wailing Pansy Parkinson as they stepped down from the carriage steps. Gregory Goyle was kneeling next to the body of his father, a determined glare directed toward where Riddle had been. When Nott drew even with Severus, his eyes looked to him.

"Get Ms. Parkinson to Madam Pomfrey for a calming draught. Then see that all of you are in your dorm before curfew. I do not believe any of you are in the mood for a feast tonight." He turned and stalked from the platform, ignoring the glare from the teens.

"Five," Nott growled out, Severus stopped. Turning he saw the teen's face betraying his disgust. "He killed five of his own followers, including Pansy's father." A fresh sob came from the girl. "He made them drive the carriage until their magic was exhausted, then he killed them. One by one."

"Now you know the price of failing the Dark Lord." Severus replied coldly. "You have all been given a valuable lesson, best to learn it well." With that Severus turned and headed for the castle.

It took Severus nearly half an hour to make his way from the platform to his office. When he arrived, the Gargoyle which guarded the door stood aside without the need for a password. Dumbledore had always used a password, but that opened the possibility of someone who knew the password entering without his permission. Without assigning a password, the only people who could enter were those the Headmaster specifically summoned. Of course Riddle had to have permanent permission, couldn't have any of his followers keep anything from him.

Minerva McGonagall was waiting for him, pacing the width of the office. Upon seeing him, she immediately rounded on him.

"Where are the students Severus?" she demanded.

Severus didn't respond right away. He calmly walked around her, and his desk, to his seat. Sitting, he gestured toward the chair in front of his desk. Clearly he wanted her to sit. With a huff, she pulled the chair out enough to sit and planted herself squarely in front of Severus.

"Professor McGonagall," Severus began, the emphasis on her title not lost on the Witch. "It would appear the young Mr. Potter and his associates absconded with the Hogwart's Express and most of it's passengers."

Minerva's stunned silence would have caused Severus to smirk, if he didn't have a tight reign on his Occlumency. Her mouth opened and closed several times, like a fish, before she could question him more.

"H..how?" She finally managed to articulate, eyes wide.

"Apparently he turned the engine into a portkey. All that remained was a single carriage with the majority of Slytherin house, and a few others, in it." By the casual, offhand way he relayed the news, he might have been discussing the weather. He bent forward over his desk, scrutinizing some parchment work on school supplies. "However that is of no consequence. Something has come up, a disciplinary issue for one of our House Elves. Dobby!" he called out. After a moment, there was a slight pop as the Elf in question appeard.

Dobby's nervousness showed as he wrung his hands. "Yes Headmaster sir?"

"Dobby, it has been brought to my attention that you have taken the Sorting Hat from my office." Severus accused. "You will take Professor McGonnegall to retrieve it." He raised his hand and made a shooing gesture in the general direction of the Professor and Elf.

* * *

One hour earlier, Kreacher had popped Harry and Nym into the Chamber of Secrets, to be greeted by a confusing sight. The chamber was packed with people camped out in small groups on the floor around the room. Old, young, even some who Harry recognised, they huddled together in various states. A closer look at a couple of groups showed that they appeared to be families, broken families. Here a father was absent, there a mother, even the occational group quietly holding a small stuffed animal, a silent reminder of a lost child.

"Harry?!" a familiar voice called from his left. Turning he saw Colin Creevey weaving her way through the throng of people.

"Colin?!" Harry greeted his fellow Gryffindor. "What is all of this?"

"Refugees" Colin started as he joined Harry and Nym. "We were all captured by Death Eaters and brought to Hogwart's. Apparently they planned to use us as spell practice targets. We were all locked in the dungeons of the castle until a House Elf started taking us all down here."

Harry and Nym glanced at each other before, simultaneously, they voiced the same conclusion "Dobby." A moment later the little Elf popped into view, his ears and nose quivering with apprehension.

"Harry Potter Sir. Dobby not be knowing you is visiting." Dobby started bouncing up and down excitedly in front of him. "Dobby is sorry, he be using secret room to hide people brought to Hogwarts by bad Witches and Wizards. Dobby hopes Harry Potter Sir not be minding."

"No, Dobby. I don't mind at all." Harry reassured the Elf. "You did a very great thing." Harry turned to Colin, "Is there anyone else here we know?"

Colin sighed, "Well for Gryffindor my brother Dennis, our parents didn't make it, and Sally anne Perks' mother is over there but Sally and her father were killed. A couple of Ravenclaws over there, Lisa Turpin and Su Li, both lost their fathers. And from Hufflepuff Justin Finch-Fetchley and his sister, whose muggle parents were both killed, and Leanne Moon, only survivor of her family."

Harry closed his eyes, a silent tear forming in the corners. Nym put her hand on his sholder and quietly asked Colin "How many are here?"

Colin looked around a little. "I would guess somewhere around one hundred. Mostly muggleborn kids, apparently quite a few were due to start school this year but the ministry barred muggleborns."

Harry nodded, opened his eyes, and slowly stood. He moved to the end of the chamber, by the door to Myrtle's bathroom, turned and looked over the crowd. Pursing his lips, he let go with a long, piercing whistle to get everyone's attention. Most turned to look at him, but a few were too deep in their shock to be roused. A few, recognizing him, visibly brightened. As if fresh hope were kindled within them

"Could I have everyone's attention please?" Harry called out.. "I know you have all had a tough go, some more so than others, you are not alone. My wife and I, have a secure location which we are opening as a refuge to those in need. We will need a little more time to set up enough temporary lodging for you, but we are offering what help we can."

Harry paused for a moment, "For those of you who are school age, we have set up lodging by house and year. We are committed to helping continue your education despite the current conditions. Those who are due to be first year students this year, or who have not been sorted in Hogwarts, please move to the other end of the chamber. The rest please make your way here to me and we will begin moving you to your temporary lodging."

"And why should we follow you, eh Potter?" Justin Finch-Fetchly shouted out. "You're number one on the Dark Lord's hit list. What makes you so sure we would be any better off than here?" There were a few murmurs of agreement, although most seemed simply interested in what his answer would be.

Harry looked at Justin for a moment then shrugged. "Come with me or not, I'm offering help accepting it is up to you. Just for starters though, do you know where you are? That brooding face back there is Salazar Slytherin. You are all taking residence in his Chamber of Secrets." That had a few nervous looks exchanged, even from Justin.

"That means two things. First, you are under Hogwarts which means you are under its wards and can not apparate or port-key out. Second, the only door out can be opened by just two people: the Dark Lord and me. And since he considers himself the heir of Slytherin, there is a good possibility that sometime he will pop down here to take a look. Think you could take him out if he comes? Because you won't get out without him knowing."

Harry turned to Kreacher and Dobby, ignoring the chatter his words had caused, and motioned them closer. "Kreacher, please start taking these kids to Potter Castle and bringing the first year students here." With barely a grumble, the old Elf popped away. "Dobby, I have two favors to ask of you."

"Whatever the Great Harry Potter Sir needs, Dobby will be happy to help."

"Thank you Dobby." Harry smiled at the exited Elf. "First would there be some furniture in the castle you could bring down here? Things like beds, tables, and chairs? Anything which would help make it a little more comfortable for the people who are staying here?"

"There are many things in the Come and Go room," Dobby said after a moment. "Elves and students being hiding many things there ever since Hogwarts began. Dobby will look." Something tickled the back of Harry's mind, like he was forgetting something, but he put it aside and looked to Dobby again.

"The other thing I need you to do for me is bring the Sorting Hat down here."

"The Hat?" Dobby asked, suddenly nervous.

"Yes Dobby, the Hat. We need it to sort the new first year students into their houses." Harry explained patiently.

"But it be being in Headmaster Greasy's office." the Elf fretted. "Dobby can't go there to get it."

"We won't be keeping it Dobby." Harry soothed. "You are a good Elf and we don't want to get you in trouble. We only want to borrow it for a few minutes to sort some new students. It won't even leave the Chamber."

Dobby practically glowed. "Dobby is a good Elf?" he asked in a small voice, Harry smiled at him and nodded. "Dobby is a good Elf!" he started jumping up and down. "Dobby will get you the grumpy old hat Harry Potter Sr." He disappeared with a crack.

"You manipulated him." Nym chided Harry, an incredulous look on her face.

"We need the Hat." was Harry's shamefaced justification. "Besides, I didn't say anything that wasn't true."

"You told him things you knew would please him so he would do what you wanted." she accused.

Before he could reply, Dobby popped back into the room with a protesting, grubby old hat. "Well, Mr. Potter. I should have known this Elf wouldn't have thought of taking me on his own." The Hat redirected it's tirade as soon as it was aware of the others. "What do you want?"

* * *

In her many years (Not that many you cheeky brat) of teaching and being the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, Minerva McGonnagal had seen many things. But the scene which greeted her as the House Elf Dobby popped her into the Chamber of Secrets was something she would never have expected. It wasn't the immense, awe inspiring sight of the Chamber itself. She had visited many old magical places and, truthfully, found the Chamber to be dank and dirty. Nor was it the many refugees who were gathered about the chamber, she had seen similar during the last war with Voldemort.

No, what shocked her to her core, and was drawing quite a bit of attention from the others in the room, was the very animated argument between Harry Potter and the Sorting Hat. The longer she watched, the more ridiculous it seemed. Finally she could not restrain herself longer and a scandalized "Mr. Potter!" exploded from her. The exclaimation interrupted Harry and the Hat who just stared at her for a moment.

"Well," the Hat harrumphed indignantly. "Professor, this is highly improper. Not only for me to be spirited away from the Headmaster's office, but to demand for a Sorting without being at the Welcoming Feast?! Unheard of!"

Harry's reply of "Bloody stuck-up Hat." caused Minerva to direct a stern, yet questioning gaze toward Harry.

"I would like to know what is going on here myself." the stern Transfiguration teacher turned to Harry expectantly.

"As I explained to everyone else." Harry gestured around the Chamber. "I will be providing for the education of the students on the Express as well as any here, who are school age, that wish to come with me."

"And why have you taken it upon yourself to provide this instead of simply returning the students to Hogwarts?"

"C'mon Minerva," Nym snorted. "Do you really think those kids would be safe here? Hell, Riddle attacked the train on it's way here, do you think he would just let them be now if they were here? Look around this room and tell me that they won't receive the same treatment these people have."

Minerva looked around for a moment, taking in the amount of people in the Chamber. She saw the small groups of people, and the occasional lone figure, with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Most of these people had been her students at one time so she knew a bit about their lives, parents, siblings, spouses, and children. She also noted the people that weren't present. It was only a moment move before she quietly nodded her head.

"You have a point." the Professor conceeded. "But a Sorting will do no good. The other houses have been disbanded, there is only Slytherin."

The Hat issued a sound which sounded like a snort although, with no nose, nobody knew how it made the sound. "The houses can not be disbanded. Despite where the various members may be living, they are still members of their sorted houses."

Minerva stood a bit straighter at that revelation. "Well then hat, you have students to sort."

"Very well Professor," the Hat grumped.

With a nod, Nym turned to the gathered first years. "Ok, step up one at a time. Once you have been sorted, Kreacher will pop you over to where we are staying."

Minerva turned to Harry and motioned him to the side. As the first student had the hat placed on their head, Harry warily joined the aged professor a little distance away.

"Mr. Potter, I understand your desire to help the students while keeping them safe. But I am concerned about your access to capable teachers for the various classes. Especially for those who will be testing for OWL's and NEWTs."

"We'll only be able to concentrate on the core classes." Harry explained. "And between Fleur, Nym and a few others we've gathered those should be covered. The electives will just have to be self study."

"Mr. Potter, a person's education is hardly something which can be done haphazardly." She chided

"I am certain we can provide classes on par with anything they may have received this year, if not the last several years." Harry replied stiffly.

Harry's change in demeanor was not lost on the elder Witch. With a resigned sigh and a nod, she conceded the point. "Have you given any more thought to getting the Order to help you with whatever Albus asked you to do?" She asked.

Harry was caught a little off guard by the sudden change in topic. He had seen McGonagall previously since the last time she had asked him about this at the end of last term. But she had not raised the question again. Though that may have been due to Snape's interruption. Harry recovered quickly enough from his shock though to fix McGonagall with a stern gaze.

"Tell me Professor," Harry began. "Are there Death Eaters in the school?" Minerva nodded silently. "If they were to use Legillimacy on you, can you guarantee that you would be able to fend it off?" Minerva had to concede that she could not be that certain and shook her head. "In that case, Professor, I think it would behoove us all to keep that task to ourselves so that Tom doesn't hear about it."

"That's the last of them," Nym stepped over to Harry and Minerva carrying the Sorting Hat. "As soon as Kreacher returns we can go home."

Minerva took the hat back from Nym. Turning to Harry, she smiled what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "If there is any way in which I can help you Mr. Potter, please do not hesitate to call on me."

"I will keep that in mind." Harry replied as Kreacher reappeared next to him. Nym and Harry each took one of the Elf's hands and a moment later they were gone.

A/N: Well another chapter finally posted. Thank you all for your patience with my slow updates. This last chapter was difficult for me to get to a point I as comfortable posting. Plus having to fight the urge to add more plot tangents which really don't add anything to the main story or any possible later stories.

Yes, I know this story seems to be progressing quickly. I intend it to be that way. As much as I like J.K.'s writing, I was never a fan of the drawn out slogging through the British back country of the seventh book. It just always seemed to not live up to the writing level of the other books. Almost like a "just get it done" type of writing.


End file.
